US Expands Travel Ban to Include 2026 World Cup Participants Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal
The United States has expanded its existing travel restrictions to include two participants of the 2026 World Cup: Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. This expansion adds to an existing ban that already includes Haiti and Iran, bringing the total number of nations affected to eighteen.
The White House clarified that the categories involved entail partial restrictions and entry limitations, described as the least restrictive among the full ban classifications. Despite the restrictions, certain exemptions are in place for athletes, diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.
Visa overstay rates for B1/B2 visas have been cited in relation to this decision, with approximately 4% for Senegal and about 8% for Côte d’Ivoire.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to commence on 11 June 2026, with the United States co-hosting alongside Mexico and Canada. Côte d’Ivoire will compete in Group E, alongside Germany, Curaçao, and Ecuador, while Senegal will play in Group I, with France, Norway, and a European playoff opponent.
Senegal is also set to participate in one of the United States men’s pre-World Cup friendly matches, with a game against the U.S. scheduled for 31 May in Charlotte, ahead of the World Cup opener versus Paraguay.
The Trump administration’s World Cup taskforce, led by Andrew Giuliani, had announced a fast-track visa system intended for World Cup visitors, including FIFA prioritization for visa interviews for ticket-holders. However, there remains uncertainty about how this fast-track system will manage requests from countries subject to the travel ban.
