Misleading videos on social media are targeting travellers to Canada for FIFA World Cup

Videos making off-key claims virtually Canada's in-migration policies ar popping up on TikTok and Instagram in an try to scam travellers coming to FIFA World Cup matches this summer, according to immigration and anti-fraud experts.

One video displays screenshots from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, a graphic of a Canadian passport and a waving Canadian flag with a big green check mark next to it.

"For those who have been wanting to settle in Canada for a very long time ... It's a golden opportunity," she said.

"In most of these cases, these are scams," Calgary-based immigration consultant Mandeep Lidher said. "They are preying on vulnerable people who lack the knowledge or who don't go online and check the official requirements."

These work-related claims are misrepresenting a temporary policy from the IRCC, announced in November, that exempts select FIFA-invited foreign nationals — such as the organization's employees and contractors — from needing the usual government authorizations to work in Canada, experts say.

"For those who want to apply for this visa, we have a big offer for you," a man speaking in Urdu said in another video.

He was selling a visa application package for 150,000 Indian rupees (about $2,220 Cdn) that purportedly includes "embassy fees, match tickets, biometrics and consultancy fees." The man said the "approval ratio would be high" for these types of visas.

But a special visitor's visa for the World Cup does not exist, and the normal checks and balances for entering the country still apply, Lidher said.

Misleading FIFA World Cup visas target migrants to Canada

"As usual, they will check your finances, your travel history," he said. "One of the main focuses is that you can return to your home country and won't overstay in Canada and file for asylum."

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said in a statement that it "is aware and receiving reports of FIFA-related fraud" and that "fraud activity tends to increase around major global events."

The agency went on to say that "we cannot confirm whether these frauds are originating from inside Canada."

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, with matches taking place in Toronto, Vancouver and 14 other host cities in the United States and Mexico.

Expecting visitors from across the globe, the Canadian government is engaged in international efforts to warn the public against fraudsters.

Joshua Tabah, Canada’s high commissioner for Kenya, is part of a press campaign in that country to alert locals about potential immigration scams.

"Canada already has the stadiums. We’re not building new stadiums for the FIFA World Cup," he told the media in Nairobi earlier this month, adding that if someone is offering construction work in Canada in exchange for cash, "that's a scam. Don't fall for it."

The IRCC said World Cup tickets don't guarantee a traveller entry to Canada and that "border officers will make the final decision on entry when the visitor arrives."

Lidher, the Calgary immigration consultant, said fans should be wary of any agents claiming they can guarantee entry.

"In many cases, these agents falsify documents, and they even alter people's documents. So that could end up getting somebody a five-year ban [from Canada] for misrepresentation."

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre stressed that reporting scams is crucial to stopping fraudsters.

"When Canadians report, it allows us to identify patterns, share fraudulent websites, bank accounts, phone numbers, emails and social media activity for disruption efforts, and provide actionable intelligence to investigative partners."

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