According to the White House, the new travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration will not affect players and team staff participating in this summer`s FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup held in the US, as these tournaments qualify for an exemption.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation implementing full or partial travel bans on individuals from 19 countries, though certain exceptions apply. The countries subject to a complete ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This list included nations with teams potentially competing in the Club World Cup and Gold Cup. For instance, Haiti is participating in the Gold Cup and is set to play the U.S. men`s national team on June 22. Additionally, Inter Milan, a UEFA Champions League finalist, will feature Iranian international Mehdi Taremi in the Club World Cup squad.
However, the proclamation explicitly includes an exemption for athletes and staff attending the World Cup (2026) and Olympics (2028) in the U.S. It also listed an exception for `other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.` This category includes the Club World Cup and Gold Cup.
This article explains the implications of the new travel restrictions on soccer, given that the U.S. is set to host several major sporting events in the near future.
Which countries are impacted by the travel ban?
The travel ban fully restricts travelers from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Seven other countries face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The proclamation states that these limitations apply to both immigrants and nonimmigrants, while making a distinction between them.
These new travel rules are scheduled to take effect on Monday. They are not anticipated to affect individuals holding pre-issued visas or those with green cards.
Which exemptions apply to soccer players?
The proclamation outlines several exemptions from the ban, notably for athletes and support staff traveling to the U.S. for significant sporting events. While the World Cup and Olympics were explicitly mentioned, a White House spokesperson confirmed that this exemption also extends to events like the Club World Cup and Gold Cup.
Haiti`s men`s national team is set to compete in the Gold Cup later this summer. Several players participating in the Club World Cup also come from countries affected by the proclamation. For example, Josna Loulendo of Al Ain is from the Republic of Congo.
Regarding countries with partial travel restrictions, several players heading to the Club World Cup are from these nations. This includes Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba and Roger Aholou from Togo, playing for Al Ain and Esperanza de Tunis respectively, as well as Venezuela`s Matías Lacava and Salomon Rondon, representing Ulsan HD and Pachuca.
How else will soccer be impacted by the travel ban?
Although players and staff have an exemption, the travel restrictions could pose difficulties for fans wishing to travel to the U.S. for upcoming sporting events.
It also remains unclear which future competitions will be included in the exemption. Typically, the U.S. hosts preseason friendly matches for visiting teams every summer, and MLS clubs annually participate in the Leagues Cup against Liga MX teams.
Concerns about travel policies impacting players had surfaced even before this new proclamation. During the previous Trump administration, some players were advised against leaving the U.S. Four NWSL players from Zambia, for instance, were withdrawn from their national team squad for games in China in April due to travel policy concerns cited by their federation. In the same month, NWSL player Deyna Castellanos opted not to represent Venezuela due to uncertainty regarding U.S. travel regulations.
