Canada has received 175 asylum applications from foreign nationals who entered the country during the FIFA World Cup, raising fresh attention around immigration and border policies.
The tournament featured 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver, with Canadian authorities issuing nearly 26,000 visas to players, officials, media, and fans attending the global event.
Thousands of fans from around the world applied for Canadian visitor visas to attend the matches, but more than half of the applications were rejected.
Among those who were granted entry, 175 individuals have since filed asylum claims, which will be assessed under Canada’s refugee and immigration laws.
According to media reports, Canadian immigration authorities did not disclose whether any of the asylum applicants are players or members of football delegations.
According to available figures, 25 applicants are from Ghana, while 15 each are from Egypt and Colombia. Officials say the total number of asylum claims could rise as additional applications are processed.
Before the tournament, Canadian authorities warned that obtaining a visa to attend FIFA matches should not be viewed as a pathway to remain in Canada illegally or to seek asylum without valid legal grounds.
On the other hand, Spain, which won the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, has climbed to the top of the latest FIFA World Rankings.
The newly crowned world champions completed the tournament unbeaten and moved from second to first place, gaining 121.17 ranking points, the biggest increase in the latest rankings.
Argentina, the 2022 FIFA World Cup champions and runners-up in the 2026 tournament, have dropped to second place. France remains third, while England is fourth in the updated rankings.
Despite being eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil have moved up one spot to fifth in the world rankings.
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