Official figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed that, as of July 20, a total of 175 asylum claims had been filed by individuals who identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors in their temporary residence applications.
At least 175 foreign nationals who travelled to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum, with Nigeria listed among the countries whose citizens sought to remain in the North American country after the global football tournament ended.
Official figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed that, as of July 20, a total of 175 asylum claims had been filed by individuals who identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors in their temporary residence applications.
Canada, which co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged 13 matches in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver during June and July, issuing more than 26,000 temporary visas to visitors attending the tournament.
The tournament ended with Spain defeating defending champions Argentina in the final to lift the World Cup trophy.
