Of the 48 nations competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, four sit directly on the United States travel ban list: Haiti, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal. Their players and coaches travel under a specific exemption while their fans do not and the result is a tournament in which nations are represented on the pitch but effectively absent in the stands, with Africa bearing the most disproportionate burden of that exclusion.
The restrictions were imposed through two presidential proclamations in 2025, together affecting nationals from 39 countries by suspending the tourist and visitor visa categories needed to attend World Cup matches on the U.S soil. Additional qualifying nations including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Nigeria face complications including visa bond requirements and extended processing delays, even where outright bans do not apply.
Forty-two generally wealthier countries benefit from a visa waiver programme allowing online applications at approximately $40. There are no African countries on this list.
Thousands of Moroccan fans have had their US visa applications rejected, with money already committed to match tickets, hotel bookings, and travel arrangements. Africa’s best referee was denied entry and sent back after landing at Miami Airport, despite carrying a diplomatic passport.
Julien Kouadio Adonis, from the Ivory Coast’s fan association, was direct: “It’s a form of segregation that doesn’t dare speak its name, but the proof is there. No European country has faced this kind of restriction. Why Africa?” His association, which normally sends fans to every World Cup, decided not to pursue travel to the United States at all.
Further complications arose from US, Canadian, and Mexican travel restrictions imposed on Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan in response to the Ebola outbreak, adding another layer of exclusion for African fans and journalists.
FIFA has not issued a formal response. The organization awarded the tournament to the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2018. The access framework that accompanied that decision did not account for what is now unfolding. For African fans watching from thousands of miles away, that omission is not a footnote. It is the entire story.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
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