Donald Trump Blocks Fans from 4 Nations Ahead of US World Cup
- Fans from four World Cup-qualified nations are banned from attending matches in the United States
- Exemptions apply to players and officials, but not to supporters, limiting fan access
- Some fans can attend matches in Canada, while others are locked out entirely due to US restrictions
President Donald Trump has banned fans from four countries from attending 2026 World Cup matches held in the United States.
Last year, the US president confirmed that Haiti and Iran would be placed on a full travel restriction list, with the ban coming into force on January 1.
Source: Getty Images
Iran became the first nation to qualify for the World Cup through Asian qualifying, while Haiti reached the tournament for only the second time in their history after benefiting from a CONCACAF qualification process that excluded co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Senegal and Ivory Coast, who have also secured qualification, are subject to partial travel restrictions.
Trump blocks fans from 4 nations to USA
Amid mounting domestic protests over his deployment of ICE immigration agents across the US, President Trump has approved exemptions to the travel bans for players, coaches and their immediate families.
However, those exemptions do not extend to supporters, meaning fans from the four affected nations are unable to travel to the United States to watch their teams play.
There are no such travel restrictions in place in Canada or Mexico, allowing Senegal supporters to attend their third group-stage match against a play-off winner in Toronto.
Ivory Coast fans can also watch their team’s second group match against Germany, which will likewise be staged in Toronto.
By contrast, both Haiti and Iran are scheduled to play all three of their group matches in the United States, leaving their supporters unable to attend any fixtures in person.
The White House stated last month that the restrictions will remain in force until the affected countries demonstrate “credible improvements” in areas such as identity management, information-sharing, and cooperation with US immigration authorities.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC News, the bans do not apply to lawful permanent residents, many existing visa holders, or diplomats.
Separately, the Trump administration is also indefinitely suspending visa processing from 75 countries, although this measure does not apply to travel visas.
Several World Cup-qualified nations - including Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Uruguay - are among those affected by that suspension.
This latest move by Trump's administration builds on a policy first unveiled in June 2025. At the time, President Trump declared a full ban on travellers from 12 countries while imposing tighter controls on visitors from seven others.
Trump proposes social media entry requirement
In a related report, YEN.com.gh revealed that Donald Trump is pushing a proposal that would require foreign visitors to submit five years of social media history before entering the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup.
US authorities have already directed immigration officials to check travellers’ public social media accounts for signs of what they describe as “anti-American” views.
Source: YEN.com.gh
