FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
US President Donald Trump has signed a new document that could ban fans of Senegal and Ivory Coast from attending the 2026 World Cup to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed new travel restrictions, suspending entry into the United States for citizens of Senegal and Ivory Coast. The ban includes short-term trips for tourism or business, meaning fans planning to attend World Cup games in the United States are likely to be turned away.
Senegal have been drawn in Group I, alongside France, Norway and the winner of a play-off between Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname. The two matches against France and Norway will be played at MetLife Stadium in the US, while the match against the team eliminated from the play-off will be held in Toronto, Canada, where fans will be allowed in as normal.
Ivory Coast is in a similar situation, being drawn in Group E with Germany, Ecuador and Curaçao – the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup. The matches against Ecuador and Curaçao will be held in the United States, while the match against Germany will be played in Canada, with no restrictions on fans.
Under previous executive orders issued by Trump, there are exemptions for players, staff and immediate family members of national teams. This means that Premier League stars such as Illiman Ndiaye and Nicholas Jackson (Senegal), or Amad Diallo and Evan Guesand (Ivory Coast), will have no problem participating in the tournament.
However, for tens of thousands of fans from these two countries, the new rules pose a serious obstacle. Senegal and Ivory Coast are among 15 other countries included in the latest announcement, adding to the list of 12 countries that faced travel bans in June.
The initial list also included Iran and Haiti, two World Cup-qualified countries whose fans also risk not being able to closely follow their teams' matches.
The White House clarified that the announcement includes exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories such as athletes and diplomats, as well as individuals whose entry serves the national interests of the United States.
This is not the only concern for fans planning to travel to the US for the 2026 World Cup. The very high ticket prices for matches held in the US have caused strong reactions.
In response, FIFA introduced a new category of "supporter entry tier" tickets priced at £45, which will be distributed to the respective federations for the most loyal fans. However, this solution has been described by many fans as "a joke", as less than 2 percent of the total stadium capacity will be given to each country at this price.
Lini një Përgjigje