Twenty-five Ghanaian nationals who travelled to Canada during the 2026 FIFA World Cup have filed refugee protection claims, according to newly released data from Canada’s immigration authorities.
Statistics published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicate that the Ghanaian applications were part of 175 asylum requests submitted by foreign nationals who had earlier been granted temporary entry permits connected to the global football tournament.
The department disclosed that 26,111 travellers received temporary resident approval after stating that their visit was related to the FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
By July 20, 2026, a total of 175 of those visitors had sought refugee status after arriving in Canada.
In figures cited by Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, the immigration agency confirmed that the data relates only to individuals whose visa or temporary residence applications specifically referenced the “FIFA World Cup 26.”
Ghana and China each registered the highest number of refugee claims, with 25 applications apiece.
Egypt and Colombia followed with 15 each, while Senegal, Bangladesh and Nigeria each recorded 10 claims.
Ecuador, Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan each accounted for five applications.
Canadian officials did not provide a breakdown of the applicants, leaving it unclear whether those seeking protection included footballers, technical personnel, tournament workers or supporters who travelled to watch the competition.
Applications for asylum by individuals who enter a country for international sporting events have occurred on previous occasions and are not considered uncommon.
A similar situation arose after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, when approximately 200 Ghanaians applied for asylum, largely on grounds of alleged religious persecution.
At the time, the Government of Ghana rejected those allegations, describing them as unfounded.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong