United States President Donald Trump’s administration has
announced that Haitian supporters will not be granted visas
ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Haiti secured its place at the World Cup for only the second
time in history after topping a group that included Honduras,
Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
However, the US has barred Haitians, both immigrants and
non-immigrants, from entering the country under an order titled
“Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the
United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National
Security and Public Safety Threats.”
[48]From Pot 2 to 4: Ghana’s World Cup pots from 2006 to 2026
explained
President Trump explained that government statistics indicate
Haitians have been entering the US in large numbers,
contributing to increased overstay rates and criminal activity.
Despite the ban, an exception exists for “any athlete or member
of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a
necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for
the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting events as
determined by the Secretary of State.”
However, the US State Department confirmed to Politico that
this exception will not apply to Haitian fans, in accordance
with immigration policies.
“The State Department said fans may still submit visa
applications and schedule interviews to attend the games, but
they ‘may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the
United States.’ The travel ban also includes an exception for
applicants whose travel would ‘advance US national interest,’
though a State Department spokesperson noted such exceptions
will likely be ‘very rare,’” Politico reported on Saturday,
November 22, 2025.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that
supporters of all qualified nations would be welcome in the US
for the tournament.
It remains unclear how FIFA will negotiate with the US State
Department to secure exceptions for fans from countries
affected by the travel ban.