Recently, the State Department updated the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) with clarification on B-1 visa eligibility for “Professional Athletes and Personnel Necessary to the Performance of an Individual Athlete or Sports Team.”

Key Points:

  • On Sept. 17, 2025, the FAM was “revised to update the definition of ‘necessary personnel’ traveling to support foreign athletes/sports teams and clarify their eligibility for B-1 visas” in advance of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major sporting events.
  • The update defines “necessary personnel” as those individuals who “encompass a wide variety of roles, and each play a necessary part in the individual athlete’s or team’s ability to successfully perform.”
  • The FAM clarifies that “necessary personnel” may be issued a B-1 visa if:
    • They perform, for compensation, the same or similar services abroad for the individual athlete or foreign sports team;
    • The athlete or foreign sports team has their principal place of business or activity in a foreign country; and
    • Their salary principally accrues in a foreign country.

Additional Information: The new policy language falls under 9 FAM 402.2-5(C)(4) (U) Professional Athletes and Personnel Necessary to the Performance of an Individual Athlete or Sports Team (CT:VISA-2182; 09-17-2025) and reads in part:

Many individual and team-based sports rely on necessary personnel who support the professional athletes. Such personnel encompass a wide variety of roles, and each play a necessary part in the individual athlete’s or team’s ability to successfully perform. Examples of such individuals include coaching staff, team principals, athletic trainers and fitness instructors, medical support staff, nutritionists, equipment specialists, pit crew, engineers, technicians, mechanics, strategists and performance/data analysts.

In May, the FAM was updated clarifying that certain match officials can travel to the U.S. on a B-1 business visa or Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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