25 Ghanaians Seek Asylum in Canada After Travelling for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Twenty-five Ghanaians who travelled to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have filed asylum claims, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The applications form part of 175 asylum requests submitted by foreign nationals who entered Canada after receiving temporary residence approval linked to the global football tournament, which was jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

IRCC disclosed that it approved temporary residence applications for 26,111 individuals who stated that they were travelling to Canada in connection with the FIFA World Cup. However, by July 20, 2026, a total of 175 of those travellers had gone on to apply for asylum.

“Of the 26,111 individuals with prior FIFA-related approved temporary residence applications, 175 people later submitted asylum claims,” the Canadian immigration authorities said in a statement cited by The Globe and Mail.

The department clarified that the figures only include individuals who specifically mentioned “FIFA World Cup 26” in their temporary residence applications.

Ghana was among the countries with the highest number of asylum applications, recording 25 claims, the same number as China. Egypt and Colombia followed with 15 applications each, while Senegal, Bangladesh and Nigeria recorded 10 claims apiece. Ecuador, Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan each had five applications.

Canadian authorities did not provide details on whether the applicants were footballers, team officials, support staff or regular visitors who attended the tournament.

Seeking asylum after international sporting events is not uncommon, as some foreign athletes, officials and visitors have previously used such opportunities to request protection in host countries.

In 2014, around 200 Ghanaians reportedly sought asylum after the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, claiming religious persecution. The then Ghanaian government rejected the claims, describing them as unfounded.