Donald Trump Blocks 15 Nations' Fans From Entering USA Ahead of 2026 World Cup

US president Donald Trump has been accused of blocking fans from 15 nations from entering the United States less than six months before the World Cup is due to begin. Preparations for football’s showpiece event - which FIFA estimates will see between 5.5 and 6.5 million supporters travel to matches across the USA, Canada and Mexico - have regularly been thrown into chaos.

Earlier this week, almost 17,000 supporters reportedly cancelled their tickets amid fears surrounding Trump’s escalating conflict with Venezuela, which has also seen relations with Colombia, Denmark and Cuba sour in recent months. Elsewhere, several countries set to participate in the World Cup already appear on the USA’s travel ban list.

It is this latter issue that has once again resurfaced, leaving many fans uncertain about their chances of travelling stateside this summer, with Trump freezing visa applications for supporters from 15 participating nations, according to the Daily Mail. But it appears that not all is as it seems after the State Department released a statement.

Trump Accused of Freezing Visa Applications For 15 World Cup Nations

According to the Daily Mail, the US State Department issued an internal memo on Wednesday instructing consular officers to deny visas from 75 countries while screening and vetting procedures are reassessed. Of those nations, 15 are set to compete at this summer’s World Cup across the US, Mexico and Canada - including tournament favourites Brazil.

The scale of the issue is underlined by the fact that three of the four teams in Scotland’s Group C are affected, with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti all included on Trump’s so-called red list. That could result in reduced attendances for the Tartan Army's group-stage fixtures, which are scheduled to take place in Foxborough (against Haiti and Morocco) and Miami (against Brazil).

Algeria, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Jordan, Senegal, Tunisia, Uruguay and Uzbekistan are the other World Cup nations named as reportedly being impacted. The memo, which is set to be rolled out from January 21, directs officers to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits upon entry to the United States, with factors such as health, age and English proficiency also taken into account.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

Although the report also takes into consideration that "the State Department will provide exceptions for some visa applications under the new pause, but it will be 'very limited,'" it fails to acknowledge that the ruling only applies to immigrant visas and not non-immigrant ones, with The Athletic reporter Adam Crafton writing on X (see the full post below):

"Obvious concerns for many that go far beyond a sports tournament but this refers to immigrant rather than non-immigrant visas so important to clarify for those wondering that, at this stage, this does not appear to impact short-term visitors for the World Cup."

Full List of Countries Affected by USA's Memo

Other countries that are expected to be affected by Trump's strict new rules include European countries such as Albania, Belarus, and Georgia.

Elsewhere, nations just off the shores of the USA like Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, and Saint Lucia, among other Caribbean countries, also feature on the list. See the full list below:

FIFA's Stance on 'Peace Prize' Remains Unchanged

“You can always count on my support,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Donald Trump after presenting him with the ‘Peace Prize’ ahead of the World Cup draw in December. As the US president placed the medal around his neck, he described the award as “truly one of the great honours of my life”.

At the time, with Trump being hailed by tournament organisers for “welcoming the world to America”, many onlookers were left baffled. That sense of disbelief has only grown since, with FIFA choosing not to condemn ongoing concerns surrounding safety, immigration and tourism in the United States.

Even more striking is the fact that FIFA have since announced another Peace Prize winner will be named later this year, suggesting their sycophantic gesture towards Trump wasn't just a one-off.

Click here to read article