A full list of the 19 countries that could be banned from entering the World Cup as a result of the United States’ travel bans has been revealed, with President Donald Trump also rumoured to be banning fans from another iconic footballing nation too.
With FIFA’s biggest tournament less than a year from getting underway, several teams have already found themselves at risk of not being allowed into the United States for the tournament, including some that have already qualified for it.
President Trump has made headlines in the footballing world as a result of his conduct during the Club World Cup final, but with the focus now turning to next summer, the future of some of the most prominent countries in football remains up in the air.
All Countries on Travel Ban List Ahead of 2026 World Cup
On June 9, the Council on Foreign Relations revealed the implementation of stringent travel measures affecting nineteen nations across various regions.
Twelve countries – Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Haiti, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Myanmar, Eritrea, Sudan, and Yemen – have been subjected to total travel bans, meaning they are not allowed to enter the United States in any circumstances. In the case of Iran, they have already qualified for the competition, but their future remains uncertain.
A further seven – Venezuela, Cuba, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan – are facing partial limitations, with specific restrictions placed on certain categories of travelers or types of travel.
While Brazil aren’t banned from the tournament, it has been reported they may be forced to play with no fans after it was suggested that Trump was considering a ban on visas for Brazilians – including during the World Cup period.
Journalist Lourival Sant’Anna reported that visa limitations for Brazilian nationals had begun to take effect discreetly this week, coinciding with a visit by Brazilian senators to Washington. The delegation received notably constrained visas, curtailing their permitted length of stay in the United States.
Meanwhile, trade tensions have sharply escalated. In April, former President Trump declared a 10% tariff on goods imported from Brazil – matching the standard rate imposed on many countries. However, within just four months, that figure has surged to an alarming 50%, positioning Brazil among the nations now subject to some of the steepest import duties imposed by the U.S. government.
While at the time of writing, there is no expectation for Brazil to be banned from competing at the tournament, there is still a possibility that things could escalate further, putting the five-time champions at further risk.
Source: YEN.com.gh
