The Trump administration has moved to exempt athletes, coaches, and support staff from a stringent new visa ban, ensuring they can enter the United States for major upcoming sporting spectacles, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Sporting Exemptions Amid a Sweeping Travel Crackdown
This significant exemption was detailed in a diplomatic cable sent from the US State Department to all American embassies and consulates on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. The directive clarifies how the administration will navigate its own strict immigration measures, which were imposed by President Donald Trump on 16 December 2025.
That original proclamation banned the issuance of visas to citizens from 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority. However, it included a provision for competitors in major sporting events, leaving the specific list of qualifying events to be determined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Foreign spectators, media representatives, and corporate sponsors are explicitly not covered by this new sporting exemption and will remain barred from attending these events unless they can meet other, separate criteria for entry into the United States.
Which Events and Leagues Are Covered?
The State Department cable provides a comprehensive list of the sporting competitions that will bypass the visa restrictions. The exemption applies to a wide array of events, including:
- All competitions and qualifying events for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan-American Games, and Para Pan-American Games.
- Events hosted, sanctioned, or recognised by a US National Governing Body for sport.
- All competitions for the Special Olympics.
- Official events hosted or endorsed by FIFA, world football's governing body, and its continental confederations.
Furthermore, the exemption extends to numerous professional and collegiate leagues. The cable specifically names events connected to:
- US Professional Leagues: The NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, PGA, LPGA, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, MLS, WWE, UFC, and All Elite Wrestling.
- International Bodies: The International Military Sports Council and the International University Sports Federation.
- US Collegiate Sport: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Little League.
The cable noted that other events and leagues could be added to this list at a later date.
Nations Facing Full and Partial Visa Bans
While athletes from these nations may now enter for competition, the underlying visa ban remains firmly in place for the general populace. The administration's policy divides the affected nations into two groups.
A full travel ban applies to citizens of: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and individuals holding passports issued by the Palestinian Authority.
A partial ban is in effect for citizens of: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This move underscores the Trump administration's dual-track approach: aggressively tightening general entry standards for foreigners while making specific, high-profile concessions to protect the commercial and prestige value of hosting global sporting mega-events on American soil.
