25 Ghanaians claim asylum in Canada after World Cup 2026

Twenty-five Ghanaians submitted asylum applications in Canada after the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These claims are part of 175 asylum applications made by foreign visitors who entered Canada after receiving temporary residence approval linked to the World Cup, which was co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. IRCC approved temporary residence applications for 26,111 people who indicated they were traveling in connection with the FIFA World Cup. As of July 20, 2026, 175 of those individuals had subsequently applied for asylum.

IRCC stated, "Of the 26,111 individuals with prior FIFA-related approved temporary residence applications, 175 people later submitted asylum claims." The department noted that these figures cover only applicants who identified "FIFA World Cup 26" in their temporary residence applications. Ghana recorded 25 applications, alongside China with 25. Egypt and Colombia each had 15 claims, while Senegal, Bangladesh, and Nigeria recorded 10 apiece. Ecuador, Burundi, Nepal, and Pakistan each accounted for 5 applications. Canadian authorities did not disclose how many of the asylum seekers were football players, team officials, support staff, or ordinary visitors.