The smooth preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, have hit a significant roadblock due to the stringent travel policies of US President Donald Trump. The new rules are directly impacting nations that have successfully qualified for the global football showpiece.
Qualified Nations Face Entry Ban
Iran and Haiti, two countries that earned their spots in the expanded 48-team tournament, are on the official US travel ban list. This has already resulted in their delegations being blocked from entering the United States to attend the crucial World Cup final draw scheduled for December. Iran secured its historic seventh World Cup appearance by topping their Asian qualification group with 23 points from 10 matches. Meanwhile, Haiti qualified for their second-ever World Cup after a decisive 2-0 victory over Nicaragua.
Trump's Policy and Warnings to Host Cities
The list of nations facing a full travel ban, as announced by the 47th president, includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Haiti was added after the US government assessed the country as posing a very high risk due to deficiencies in its screening and vetting procedures.
In a separate development, President Trump issued stark warnings to potential host cities within the US. He explicitly threatened to revoke the hosting rights of Boston if he deems the city unsafe. A similar warning was directed at Seattle during a meeting at the White House with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday, November 17.
FIFA Pass and Tournament Context
Amid the controversies, the Trump administration has introduced a FIFA Pass program. This initiative is designed to expedite visa interviews for foreign ticket holders who purchased their passes directly through FIFA, aiming to streamline entry for most international fans.
The 2026 World Cup will be a landmark event, featuring 16 teams from Europe, 9 from Africa, 8 from Asia, 6 each from South America and the Caribbean, and one guaranteed spot from Oceania. The tournament will also see debut appearances from nations like Scotland, Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
