ESTA Revoked for Scotland Fans Days Before World Cup Departure to United States

Dozens of Scotland football supporters have been unable to travel to the World Cup finals after their US travel permits were unexpectedly revoked days before departure. Those affected received approval for their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) months in advance, only to have their status switched to "travel not authorised" in the days leading up to Scotland's opening matches. The sudden reversals have cost affected fans thousands of pounds in non-refundable bookings and left many unable to attend what they described as once-in-a-lifetime events.

Real-Time Cancellations at the Airport

Michael Wright discovered his permit had been revoked while standing at Manchester Airport security, just one hour before his scheduled departure. The 30-year-old, who relocated to Australia nine years ago, had applied for his ESTA in March and believed his travel was confirmed. His visa status shifted from "approved" to "pending" and finally to "travel not authorised" in real time, forcing him to send his brother through security gates alone while he remained behind.

Wright expressed confusion over the reversal, noting that he had successfully travelled to America with a previous ESTA in 2023 and had experienced no changes to his circumstances since reapplying. "In my eyes, there's no valid reason for them to decline it," he told BBC Scotland News. The cancellation forced him to abandon his dream of celebrating his 30th birthday at Scotland's group stage matches against Haiti and Morocco.

Multiple Families Affected, Significant Financial Loss

The issue extends beyond isolated cases. Scott Braid, 43, from Kirkcaldy, received an email on Tuesday notifying him of an ESTA status update. His application moved from approved to pending within hours, then to travel not authorised two hours later. Braid had booked a trip to Boston for 12 June with his wife and two children, having already secured his travel documents and made substantial deposits on accommodation and transportation.

Brothers Andrew and Nelson Speirs from the same town applied for their permits on 14 December and received approval the following day. Their applications remained unchanged until 3 June, when both were updated to deny travel. Nelson estimated their planned trip to Miami for Andrew's 40th birthday celebrations cost £10,000. The brothers managed to secure an emergency appointment at the US consulate in Belfast for 11 June in hopes of salvaging their journey.

Government Response and Unresolved Questions

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney stated he had contacted US officials regarding the matter and pledged to do "all I can to help" those affected. However, the specific cause of the mass reversals has not been publicly disclosed. US authorities have not explained why applications approved months earlier were suddenly deemed unauthorised, leaving fans unable to understand what prompted the changes or how to prevent similar issues affecting other travellers.