The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has faced significant criticism for its lack of response to the United States' travel ban and visa restrictions that are preventing many African fans from attending the 2026 World Cup. The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, is set to kick off in just one month, yet numerous African supporters are struggling to secure the necessary travel documents to enter the US, which will host the majority of matches.
Visa Challenges for African Fans
Many fans have expressed frustration, noting that even when visa interview appointments are scheduled, the dates are so far in the future that the World Cup would have already concluded before the interview takes place. The situation has been exacerbated by controversial remarks made by US President Donald Trump, who referred to Somalis as “garbage” during a cabinet meeting in December 2025. He also reiterated his previous characterization of African nations as “shithole countries,” a statement he made in 2018.
Expert Analysis
Abdullahi Boru Halakhe, an expert on African governance and security, wrote for Aljazeera.com that Trump’s comments reflect a racist attitude toward the continent, which has translated into policies affecting African countries that qualified for the World Cup. Halakhe criticized both FIFA and CAF for their silence on the matter. He pointed out that two of the countries on Trump’s travel ban list—Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire—are African, and three other qualified nations—Algeria, Tunisia, and Cabo Verde—are subject to a visa bond program requiring refundable deposits of up to $15,000. For many fans, this amount is prohibitive, especially in countries like Tunisia, where the gross disposable income per capita is just over $500.
Historical Context
Halakhe drew comparisons to the 1966 World Cup, when African federations boycotted the tournament after being allocated only one slot to be contested with Asia and Oceania. Led by Ghana’s Ohene Djan, the African nations withdrew, forcing FIFA to grant Africa and Asia guaranteed slots in 1968. Today, CAF has nine guaranteed World Cup slots and significant revenue streams, but its integration into FIFA’s structure has made it reluctant to take a confrontational stance. Halakhe argued that CAF could publicly demand that host countries issue conventional visas—rather than FIFA Pass priority appointments—to all ticketed fans from CAF-qualified nations, without imposing high costs on any federation.
Local Perspectives
Sports lawyer and analyst Sabinus Ikewuaku noted that many Nigerian fans have abandoned plans to attend the World Cup due to the stringent visa requirements. He highlighted the difficulty of obtaining appointments at the US embassy and the unrealistic $15,000 deposit demand. “One of my clients has been forced to engage agents because the embassy has made things so difficult. Unfortunately, CAF has not done anything to help these fans,” Ikewuaku said, adding that the World Cup should be accessible to all, regardless of whether their country qualified.
