Something changed in 2023 that most Brazilian football fans still haven't fully registered — and it changes everything about attending this World Cup.
Brazil joined the US Visa Waiver Program. After decades of watching other nationalities flash their passports and walk through American borders while Brazilians queued for visa appointments, filed financial documents, and waited nervously for an interview decision — that is over. For the 2026 World Cup, most Brazilian fans can apply for ESTA online in ten minutes, pay $21, and be approved within the hour.
Think about what this means against the history. Russia 2018 — full visa required, São Paulo US Consulate queues stretching for months. Qatar 2022 — Schengen visa required for most Brazilian passport holders, expensive and time-consuming. And now, for the biggest tournament in recent memory, in a country connected to Brazil by direct flights from São Paulo, Rio and Belo Horizonte — you apply online from your sofa.
There are caveats. ESTA has disqualifying conditions that matter, and you need to understand them before you apply. But for the vast majority of the Canarinha faithful, this is the most straightforwardly accessible away World Cup in a generation.
Brazilian passport holders CAN use ESTA for the USA in most cases. Brazil joined the US Visa Waiver Program in October 2023 — no B1/B2 visa needed for the majority of fans.
Apply at esta.cbp.dhs.gov — the fee is $21 USD and approval usually comes within minutes. ESTA is valid for 2 years and multiple entries, with a maximum stay of 90 days per visit.
However: if you have previously been denied a US visa, previously overstayed in the USA, hold dual nationality from a restricted country, or have criminal convictions — you are not ESTA-eligible and must apply for a B1/B2 visa. Read the ESTA section in full before you apply. Check full entry requirements for your specific situation.
ESTA — the Electronic System for Travel Authorization — is the online pre-clearance system used by countries in the US Visa Waiver Program. Since Brazil's accession to the VWP in October 2023, Brazilian passport holders with a valid biometric passport can apply for ESTA instead of the old B1/B2 tourist visa. The difference in practice is enormous: no embassy appointment, no financial document pile, no interview, no anxious wait for a stamp.
The application lives at esta.cbp.dhs.gov. It costs $21 USD, takes around ten minutes to complete, and approval typically arrives within minutes — though in some cases it can take up to 72 hours. Once approved, your ESTA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and covers multiple entries to the USA with a maximum 90 consecutive days per visit. One important detail: your ESTA is linked to the specific passport you use to apply. If you renew your passport before the tournament, you need a new ESTA.
To be eligible, you need a valid Brazilian biometric passport, no prior US visa refusals, no prior overstays in the USA, no criminal convictions, and no travel history in the past five years to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen (unless you travelled in an official diplomatic capacity). Meeting all of these conditions? Apply today — there is no reason to wait.
The scale of this change is worth sitting with for a moment. In 2018, Brazilian fans travelling to Russia needed a Russian tourist visa — a separate, time-consuming process with its own embassy requirements. In 2022, Qatar required a Hayya fan card plus visa arrangements for many nationalities. For both tournaments, the paperwork was a genuine barrier that kept some fans at home.
For 2026, in the USA, ESTA removes that barrier for most Brazilian fans entirely. FIFA's own projections have Brazil as one of the top three visiting fan nations — and the VWP access makes that figure even more significant. Direct flights from São Paulo's Guarulhos International run to Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Houston. Travel time to many host cities is comparable to European away trips that Brazilian fans have managed for decades.
There are still steps. ESTA must be applied for at least 72 hours before your flight departs — do not leave it to the gate. An approved ESTA does not guarantee entry; a CBP officer can still conduct secondary inspection and deny entry if they have grounds to do so. Carry documentation of your trip purpose — match tickets, hotel bookings, return flights — just as you would for any international journey. Know your legal rights at the US border before you land.
The good news extends well beyond the USA. Brazilian passport holders can enter Mexico visa-free for up to 180 days — no ESTA equivalent, no advance application, no fee. Just your biometric Brazilian passport and the FMM tourist card, which you fill in on arrival (or download in advance at inm.gob.mx). Group stage matches in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey are accessible to Brazilian fans without a single form filed in advance. The Brazilian community in Mexico is well-established, and the Canarinha shirt is a common and warmly received sight in all three host cities.
For Canada, Brazilian passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorization — the Canadian eTA, not a full visa. Apply at canada.ca/eta, cost CAD $7, and approval is typically instant. This covers matches in Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place) — both cities with substantial Brazilian communities that will swell enormously during the tournament. Fans planning to attend matches across all three host countries should apply for the ESTA and the Canadian eTA simultaneously. Both are fast. Mexico needs nothing at all. In a single afternoon of admin, you can be cleared for all three countries.
Apply for ESTA right now at esta.cbp.dhs.gov. It costs $21 USD, takes ten minutes, and approval typically comes within the hour. Use your biometric Brazilian passport. Apply at least 72 hours before any flight to the USA, and apply well in advance so you have time to respond if anything comes back pending. If you are unsure whether you have any disqualifying history, read the eligibility questions on the application form carefully before submitting.
If you are disqualified from ESTA — apply for a B1/B2 visa immediately. Do not delay hoping the situation resolves itself. Apply at ustraveldocs.com, book your interview at the US Consulate in São Paulo or the US Embassy in Brasília, and begin gathering your financial documentation. Current processing from Brazil is running 2 to 6 weeks from interview date. Register for FIFA PASS at fifa.com — it can help prioritize your consular appointment as a confirmed match ticket holder.
Apply for the Canadian eTA at canada.ca/eta — CAD $7, usually instant. If any part of your itinerary includes Toronto or Vancouver, you need this. Do it the same afternoon you apply for ESTA. It takes five minutes. Link it to the same passport you are using for the USA, and keep the approval confirmation email stored somewhere accessible.
For Mexico — nothing to apply for in advance. Your Brazilian passport is all you need. On arrival at a Mexican airport or land border, fill in the FMM tourist card (free) and you are in. If you prefer, download and complete it in advance at inm.gob.mx. No fee, no embassy, no appointment. If Brazil's group stage draw includes matches in Mexico, these are the most logistically simple games to attend.
Check the post-draw schedule carefully and plan your itinerary around your confirmed entry authorizations. Once the World Cup draw confirms Brazil's group stage venues, you will know exactly which cities you are targeting. Cross-reference that with your ESTA, eTA and Mexico status. If Brazil plays in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto — you're covered with ESTA plus eTA. If the draw puts matches in Mexico City and Miami — ESTA plus zero paperwork for Mexico. Build the trip around reality, not hope.
Get travel insurance before you commit to non-refundable bookings. Bradesco Seguros and Porto Seguro both offer international travel policies suitable for the World Cup, and both are well-established for Brazilian travellers making claims abroad. World Nomads is the best English-language option if you want coverage that explicitly includes trip cancellation and entry denial. And use Wise for your BRL to USD conversion — the savings on a trip of this length add up fast.
ESTA available since Brazil joined the VWP in October 2023. Apply at esta.cbp.dhs.gov — $21 USD, valid 2 years, usually approved within the hour. Not eligible if you have a prior US visa denial, prior overstay, dual nationality from a restricted country, or criminal convictions. In those cases, apply for a B1/B2 via ustraveldocs.com — processing currently 2 to 6 weeks from Brazil.
Visa-free for Brazilian passport holders — up to 180 days. No advance application required. Carry your valid biometric Brazilian passport and fill in the free FMM tourist card on arrival (or download in advance at inm.gob.mx). Group stage matches in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. The most logistically effortless host country for Brazilian fans.
eTA required — not a full TRV — apply at canada.ca/eta. Fee: CAD $7. Approval typically instant. Required for all Brazilian nationals flying to or transiting through Canada. Covers matches at Toronto's BMO Field and Vancouver's BC Place. Large Brazilian communities in both cities. Apply the same day as your ESTA.
For the Canarinha faithful, the USA in 2026 is more accessible than any away World Cup in recent memory. The yellow and green will fill those stadiums — and now the paperwork is no longer the reason it can't be you in those seats. Apply for your ESTA today. Then start planning the games.
Yes — in most cases. Brazil joined the US Visa Waiver Program in October 2023, meaning most Brazilian passport holders can now apply for ESTA ($21, esta.cbp.dhs.gov) instead of a full B1/B2 tourist visa. ESTA is not available if you were previously denied a US visa, previously overstayed a US entry, hold dual nationality from a restricted country (Iran, North Korea, Syria and others), or have criminal convictions. In any of those situations, a standard B1/B2 visa is required — currently processing in 2 to 6 weeks from Brazil.
ESTA — Electronic System for Travel Authorization — replaced the B1/B2 tourist visa for Brazilian nationals after Brazil joined the Visa Waiver Program in October 2023. Apply at esta.cbp.dhs.gov — the fee is $21 USD, the form takes around ten minutes to complete, and approval typically arrives within minutes (up to 72 hours in some cases). Your ESTA is valid for two years and covers multiple entries to the USA, with a maximum stay of 90 days per visit. Always apply at least 72 hours before your flight, and link your ESTA to the specific passport you will travel on — a new passport requires a new ESTA application.
An ESTA denial does not close the door on the tournament — it means you must apply for a B1/B2 tourist visa instead, which currently takes 2 to 6 weeks to process from Brazil. Do not rebook any non-refundable flights until your visa is in hand. A denied ESTA is recorded on your travel history, so approach the B1/B2 application carefully and honestly. In the meantime, Mexico — visa-free for Brazilians — and Canada — eTA only, CAD $7 — remain fully accessible. You can attend matches in both countries while your US visa application is in process.