U.S. Visa And Entry Restrictions Leave World Cup Fans Abandoning Trips Ahead Of June 11

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which opens June 11, football fans and even some team personnel have run into U.S. visa and entry obstacles tied to Donald Trump administration anti-immigration policies and security instability in the Middle East.

“Reporting the Changing World Anadolu Ajansı © 2026 - US denies visas to 13 members of Iran’s national team delegation and detains Iraqi footballer Aymen Hussein for 7 hours at Chicago airport - US also turns away Somali referee Omar Artan, invited by FIFA, and subjects Senegalese and Uzbek delegations to strict security screenings Just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, several countries have found themselves in the spotlight not for their preparations on the pitch, but for visa disputes, lengthy interrogations, and heightened security procedures”

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Iraqi fan Abdullah Adnan bought World Cup tickets after Iraq secured a spot in the finals in late March, but he abandoned travel after the U.S. suspended consular services in Iraq, leaving him with no practical way to obtain a visa.

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Adnan traveled to Jordan to visit the U.S. embassy there, but staff told him that "it is not easy to issue one unless you are a Jordanian national," and he ultimately gave up on watching matches in the United States.

The BBC World Service analysis cited by the BBC said more than a quarter of the countries that qualified for this year’s World Cup finals are affected by U.S. entry restrictions or tightened visa screening measures, including Haiti, Iran, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

NPR also framed the issue as a broader chilling effect, quoting Customs and Border Protection that "all travelers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and vetting."

As the tournament approaches, the U.S. has detained or barred entry for World Cup-linked figures, including a Somali referee and Iraqi team staff, prompting anger among fans and concerns about how immigration enforcement will be carried out.

NPR reported that on Saturday, decorated FIFA World Cup referee Omar Abdikadir Artan of Somalia was denied entry after landing at Miami International Airport, and CBP said he was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry."

BBC

The Guardian said FIFA confirmed Artan "will be unable to train and officiate" after he was refused entry to the US after arriving in Miami.

In Chicago, the BBC reported that Iraq’s Aymen Hussein was held and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport before being allowed entry, while the team’s photographer Talal Salah was detained for more than 10 hours and ultimately denied entry following a search of his phone.

The BBC also captured fans’ frustration with the U.S. travel bans, quoting Julien Kouadio Adonis from the Ivory Coast’s fan association saying, "It's a form of segregation that doesn't dare speak its name, but the proof is there."

The disputes are affecting not only supporters but also tournament operations, with the Guardian describing how European fashion retailers and brands face scrutiny after a deadly Bangladesh factory fire, while this U.S. coverage focuses on whether the World Cup can proceed smoothly amid immigration enforcement.

“The United States' hardline immigration policies have emerged as a new variable for the 2026 FIFA World Cup”

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In the U.S. context, the BBC said Iraq’s matches against Norway and France will be played in the US cities of Boston and Philadelphia, but Adnan’s visa failure left him unable to attend despite buying tickets.

The BBC also said the U.S. suspended routine consular services in Iraq due to concerns about security in the region, meaning fans like Adnan had to attend an in-person interview that could not be completed inside Iraq.

NPR added that the U.S. has suspended issuing all visas for 19 countries under full or partial travel bans, and that four of those countries—Iran, Haiti, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal—are expected to play in the World Cup.

In response to the mounting friction, the BBC quoted a U.S. visa cost contrast, saying the visa that the U.S. recommends for World Cup fans who need one costs $185 and applicants must attend an in-person interview, while the visa waiver route costs about $40 through ESTA.