Ghana Leads African Countries in Canada Asylum Claims After 2026 FIFA World Cup Travel

Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria and Burundi are among the African countries whose citizens applied for asylum in Canada after travelling to the country on temporary visas linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that Ghanaian nationals recorded the highest number of asylum claims among the African countries listed, with 25 applications. Egypt followed with 15 claims, while Senegal and Nigeria recorded 10 claims each. Burundi recorded five claims.

In total, 175 people who received temporary visas connected to the World Cup later applied for asylum in Canada.

Canada approved more than 26,000 visa applications associated with the tournament. The asylum applicants came from several countries, including China, Colombia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Ecuador, in addition to the African countries identified in the data.

The development has attracted attention because of a similar situation involving Ghanaian nationals after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. At that time, approximately 200 Ghanaians reportedly sought asylum, citing religious persecution. The Ghanaian government rejected the claims as baseless.

However, Canadian authorities have not disclosed whether the latest asylum applicants were football players, team officials, support staff or ordinary visitors who travelled to Canada for the tournament.

The figures highlight a recurring issue surrounding major international sporting events: while tournaments provide opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange, some visitors may also use temporary entry routes as a pathway to seek protection or remain in the host country.

For now, the available data does not explain the individual circumstances behind the 175 asylum claims, and it would therefore be premature to assume that all applicants followed the same motivations or migration pathway.