According to the White House, the Trump administration`s recently announced travel restrictions will not impact players and team personnel slated to participate in this summer`s FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup held in the United States. These tournaments reportedly fall under a specific exemption.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday imposing a full or partial ban on travelers from 19 countries, subject to certain exceptions. The list of nations facing full travel bans includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This list could have potentially affected teams competing in both upcoming events. Haiti is scheduled to compete in the Gold Cup, including a match against the U.S. men`s national team on June 22. Inter Milan, a UEFA Champions League finalist participating in the Club World Cup, has Iranian international Mehdi Taremi on its roster.
Crucially, the proclamation includes an exemption for athletes and staff traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup (2026) and the Olympics (2028), both scheduled to take place in the country. The policy also carves out an exception for `other major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.` Reports indicate that the Club World Cup and Gold Cup are included in this latter category.
This article serves to clarify how the new travel ban is set to affect the world of soccer, particularly given the significant number of major sporting events scheduled for the U.S. in the coming years.
Countries Affected by the Travel Ban
Travelers from 12 countries are subject to a complete restriction: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. An additional seven countries face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The proclamation notes that these restrictions apply to both immigrants and nonimmigrants, though the specifics differ for each group.
The new travel restrictions are scheduled to commence on Monday but are not expected to impact individuals holding visas issued prior to the effective date or those who are green card holders.
Exemptions for Soccer Participants
The proclamation outlines several exceptions to the ban, including one for athletes and support staff traveling to the U.S. for major sporting events. While the World Cup and Olympics were specifically named, a White House spokesperson confirmed that the exemption extends to events like the Club World Cup and Gold Cup.
Haiti`s men`s national team will participate in the Gold Cup later this summer. Furthermore, several players competing in the Club World Cup hail from nations listed in the proclamation, such as Josna Loulendo of Al Ain, who is from the Republic of Congo.
Regarding countries with partial travel bans, a number of players headed to the Club World Cup are from these nations. This includes Togolese players Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba (Al Ain) and Roger Aholou (Esperanza de Tunis), as well as Venezuelan players Matías Lacava (Ulsan HD) and Salomon Rondon (Pachuca).
Broader Impact on Soccer
While players and staff benefit from exemptions, the restrictions could potentially pose challenges for fans planning to travel to the U.S. for any upcoming sporting events.
There is also some lingering uncertainty about which other future competitions might fall under the exemption. The U.S. regularly hosts preseason friendlies involving international teams each summer and the annual Leagues Cup featuring MLS and Liga MX clubs.
Even before this recent proclamation, some players were previously advised against leaving the U.S. due to travel concerns experienced during the prior Trump administration. For example, in April, four Zambian NWSL players were withdrawn from their team`s squad for games in China, with federation officials citing travel policy issues. In the same month, fellow NWSL player Deyna Castellanos opted not to join the Venezuelan national team, partly citing a lack of clarity surrounding U.S. travel policies.
Dominic Ashworth