President Donald Trump has expanded his travel ban to include Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, both of which are set to compete in the 2026 World Cup. The two African nations were added to the list of 39 countries subject to partial restrictions and entry limitations, according to a White House statement. The ban already covered Haiti and Iran, which are also World Cup participants and face the most stringent restrictions.
The White House cited visa overstay rates as the reason for imposing the bans on Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. For B1 or B2 visitor visas, which fans would need for the World Cup, the overstay rates are about 4% for Senegal and 8% for Côte d’Ivoire, based on Department of Homeland Security data.
However, the proclamation exempts athletes, diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves US national interests. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, begins on 11 June. Côte d’Ivoire are in Group E with Germany, Curaçao, and Ecuador, while Senegal are in Group I with France, Norway, and a European playoff winner.
Senegal will also face the US men’s national team in a friendly on 31 May in Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of the tournament. The Trump administration’s World Cup taskforce, led by Andrew Giuliani, introduced a fast-track visa system for ticket-holders in December, but it is unclear how it will handle applications from banned countries.
The 2026 World Cup has faced controversies beyond immigration policy, including criticism over dynamic pricing for tickets.
