Pope Leo XIV will not travel to the United States in 2026, the Holy See announced on Sunday, February 8, thus also ruling out a possible visit by the pontiff to his native country and to Mexico.
“The Pope will not go to the United States in 2026,” stated Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
Some media outlets had speculated about a possible visit by the pontiff to the United States this year for the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September, but that possibility is now considered remote.
“The Holy See Press Office commented that, for the moment, a trip to Mexico is not on this year’s agenda,” reported journalist Valentina Alazraki.
Meanwhile, Leo XIV is considering a visit to South America toward the end of 2026. So far, Peru has been mentioned as one of the possible destinations, with no further information available regarding other countries on the continent.
For now, his first and only international trip was to Turkey and Lebanon, between November 27 and December 2, 2025. That trip was planned by his predecessor to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, among other events.
Leo XIV was elected pope in May of last year, following the death of Pope Francis. He is the first American pontiff in history and also holds Peruvian nationality due to his work as a missionary and bishop in the Andean country.
A papal trip to Spain is being planned for 2026, with Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands as key destinations, according to Spanish Cardinal José Cobo, who announced the visit in Rome after meetings at the Vatican to organize it. The visit has not yet been officially confirmed.
The Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) has formed an organizing committee to coordinate preparations for Pope Leo XIV’s anticipated trip to Spain this year and will launch an official website this weekend with all available information about the visit.
Upon his return from Lebanon, during a press conference aboard the papal plane, Leo XIV indicated that his next international trip will be to Africa. Among the countries being considered is Algeria, the land of St. Augustine, with the aim of promoting dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
The pontiff also expressed his interest in Latin America.
On Thursday, the president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, Carlos García, stated that the Pope is planning a trip to that South American country toward the end of 2026, without specifying whether the itinerary will include other nations.
Source: elfinanciero
