Trump's Travel Ban Casts Shadow Over FIFA World Cup Access
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with most matches-including the final-taking place in American stadiums.
However, hopes among Iranian fans in particular to attend and support their national team on U.S. soil are now in doubt following President Donald Trump's announcement of a new travel ban targeting 12 countries, including Iran.
Newsweek has reached out the White House, FIFA and Iran's foreign ministry for comment.
The travel ban deepens already strained U.S.-Iran relations. With nuclear talks stalled and President Trump ramping up his "maximum pressure" campaign, the policy reflects rising tensions that now spill into global sports.
Events like the World Cup offer rare chances for connection across hostile borders. By barring Iranian fans, the ban closes one of the few remaining windows for people-to-people engagement, reinforcing a broader climate of isolation.
Iran is the only nation on the travel ban list that has already secured a place in the 2026 World Cup. While Iranian players will be permitted to compete, their supporters will be barred from entering the U.S. For many fans from Iran, this tournament could be a rare chance to watch their team play on American soil-an opportunity made even more meaningful by decades of political estrangement.
Other banned nations, including Venezuela, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Haiti, remain in contention for qualification. Venezuela currently sits five points off automatic qualification but could secure a place through a playoff. Sudan is just one point behind the leader in its qualifying group.
FIFA has yet to comment on the ban, but scrutiny is mounting. In 2017, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: "It's obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions, any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup." With fans from a qualified country now excluded, critics are urging FIFA to defend its own standards.
The backlash online was swift. @stephenpglenn wrote: "So Trump's travel ban list includes Iran who have qualified for the World Cup... @FIFAWorldCup and @iocmedia must really start looking at the suitability of USA to host the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics." Another user asked, "How is it even possible to have a World Cup in a country that won't allow foreign fans?"
Reddit users voiced similar frustration, with one commenter speculating that FIFA will "rig the group stage draw so that Iran, Venezuela etc play their matches in Mexico or Canada." The growing sentiment online reflects mounting pressure on FIFA to respond-and soon.
U.S. President Donald Trump: "The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country, by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. We don't want them."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino: "Any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup."
James Montague, soccer writer and author of Engulfed: How Saudi Arabia Bought Sport, and the World told Newsweek: "I suspect there will be some carve out for fans since infantino has a very close relationship with Trump. But the issue of fans from certain countries being prevented from going may be a moot point. If there's a chance fans might be denied entry, arrested and deported for social media posts that criticized Trump, or Israel, I suspect a lot people will be scared away and stay at home, whatever Infantio and Trump promise."
Trump's ban underscores how geopolitical tensions can undermine the global spirit of sports, affecting not just Iran but other nations still vying for World Cup spots. While athletes may compete, many fans face restrictions that challenge FIFA's promise of full participation and raise concerns about hosting major events in countries with strict travel policies.
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