Donald Trump's newly signed travel ban includes an exemption for athletes, staff, and family members participating in the 2025 Club World Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, or the 2028 Olympics. The order, which revives and expands bans from his first term, fully restricts entry from 12 countries and partially restricts seven others.
The affected nations include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen for full restrictions, while Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela face partial limits. However, Section 4 of the order exempts those travelling for major sporting events as determined by the secretary of state.
It remains unclear whether the exemption covers both the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 Club World Cup, or whether US-based players from banned countries must return early from international duty. The ban takes effect on 9 June, potentially affecting Venezuela's squad, which includes three Major League Soccer players.
Ten players from clubs qualified for the Club World Cup are from banned nations, including Inter Miami's Telasco Segovia and LAFC's David Martínez (both Venezuela). Only Iran has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup among the restricted countries, while Venezuela, Sudan, and Haiti remain in contention.
