With the month-long FIFA World Cup now in the books, the Department of Homeland Security issued a July 23 after-action statement touting record throughput at U.S. ports of entry. According to DHS, more than 4.2 million international spectators entered the United States during the tournament without a single Category A security incident. Customs and Border Protection processed an average of 140,000 arrivals per day, 18 percent above the pre-tournament baseline, thanks to temporary expansions of Global Entry kiosks and Mobile Passport Control at nine gateway airports. The Transportation Security Administration reported that 60 percent of departing ticket-holders utilized TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lanes, cutting average wait times to under five minutes even on match-day mornings. For mobility professionals the report offers proof-of-concept for future mega-events such as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. CBP confirmed it will keep eight additional Global Entry enrollment centers open through December to capitalize on demand discovered during FIFA. Employers should consider nudging frequent travelers toward Global Entry while appointments are readily available. DHS also credited USCIS surge teams for adjudicating nearly 12,000 last-minute O-1 and P-1 athlete and support-staff petitions under premium processing, a figure immigration lawyers say signals the agency’s improved capacity after last year’s fee overhaul. The success may boost White House confidence in expanding premium processing to more employment categories by FY 2027.
