Gulf Fans (Saudi, UAE, Qatar): Do You Need a Visa or eTA for Canada's World Cup?
Excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is growing, with matches slated for Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. If you're a football fan living in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Qatar, planning your trip to Canada means understanding the entry rules. Many people wonder if they'll need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Here's the key: what you need depends less on your current residence in the Gulf and more on the passport you carry.
Your entry requirements depend on your passport, not where you live
Canada's immigration system bases entry requirements on a traveller's nationality, not their country of residence. This is an important point for anyone living in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Qatar, especially since these countries are home to a diverse expatriate population. For example, someone residing in Dubai could hold a British, Indian, or Egyptian passport, and each of those nationalities comes with different entry rules for Canada.
To clear up any confusion, the most reliable way to figure out if you need a visa or an eTA is to use the official "Find out if you need a visa" tool from Immigration, Refugees