The White House has clarified that the Trump administration`s recently implemented travel restrictions will not affect football players and accompanying team personnel scheduled to participate in this summer`s FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States. Both tournaments have been granted exemptions under the new policy.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation earlier, imposing full or partial entry bans on travelers from 19 specified countries, albeit with certain exceptions. The list of nations facing full travel prohibitions includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This initially raised concerns about the participation of teams and players from these countries in the upcoming tournaments. For instance, Haiti is set to compete in the Gold Cup, and Iranian international Mehdi Taremi is part of Inter`s roster for the Club World Cup.
Crucially, the proclamation includes a provision exempting players and staff attending the World Cup and Olympics when hosted in the U.S. (scheduled for 2026 and 2028 respectively). The policy further allows for exceptions for `other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State,` a category that officials have confirmed encompasses both the Club World Cup and the Gold Cup.
Here’s a breakdown of how these new travel rules interact with major football events slated to take place in the U.S. in the near future.
Countries Affected by the Travel Ban
Full travel restrictions are imposed on travelers from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Seven additional countries face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The proclamation specifies that these limitations apply to both immigrants and nonimmigrants, though with distinctions between the two categories.
The enforcement of these new restrictions is set to begin on Monday. They are reportedly not intended to impact individuals who were issued visas before this date or those who hold green cards.
Exemptions for Football Players and Staff
The proclamation outlines several exceptions to the ban, notably including athletes and support staff traveling to the U.S. for significant sporting events. While the World Cup and Olympics were specifically mentioned, a White House spokesperson confirmed that this exemption also covers events like the Club World Cup and Gold Cup.
This is particularly relevant for teams such as Haiti`s men`s national team, which will play in the Gold Cup this summer. Furthermore, the Club World Cup features players from countries listed in the proclamation, including Josna Loulendo of Al Ain, who is from the Republic of Congo.
Similarly, several players participating in the Club World Cup hail from nations under partial travel bans. This group includes Togo`s Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba and Roger Aholou, who play for Al Ain and Esperanza de Tunis respectively, and Venezuela`s Matías Lacava and Salomon Rondon, associated with Ulsan HD and Pachuca.
Broader Impact on Football and Fans
While the exemption protects players and staff, the new travel rules could potentially create difficulties for fans planning to travel to the U.S. for any upcoming sporting events.
Uncertainty also remains regarding which future competitions, beyond those explicitly named, will fall under the exemption. The U.S. frequently hosts preseason friendlies for international clubs each summer and the annual Leagues Cup involving MLS and Liga MX teams, the status of which under future travel policies is not definitively clear.
Even prior to this specific proclamation, some players had reportedly been advised against leaving the U.S. due to travel concerns during the previous administration. For instance, four NWSL players from Zambia were withdrawn from their team`s roster for games in China in April, citing federation concerns over travel policies. In the same month, NWSL player Deyna Castellanos reportedly did not join the Venezuela squad partly due to ambiguities regarding U.S. travel regulations.
