Donald Trump weighs expanding travel ban, raising concerns ahead of 2026 World Cup

December 9, 2025 Oliver Obel

The World Cup draw on December 5 drew a crowd of entertainers, athletes and dignitaries to the Kennedy Center in Washington.

In the middle of the festivities, FIFA presented Trump with its inaugural peace prize, saying in a public statement that the award recognized his “tireless efforts to promote peace,” including support for a ceasefire initiative between Israeli and Palestinian representatives.

The political undertone of the moment contrasted sharply with the otherwise celebratory atmosphere.

Existing restrictions already affect qualified nations

Long before the draw, concerns were mounting among some football associations. During his presidency, Trump approved a series of entry limits that the administration at the time said were designed to protect the U.S. from “dangerous foreign actors.”

Those measures remain in force today and affect supporters from 19 countries including Haiti and Iran, both of which have qualified for the 2026 tournament.

The affected nations span multiple regions:

Venezuela, Togo, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Libya, Turkmenistan, Cuba, Sudan, Somalia, the Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Laos, Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Burma, Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran and Chad.

For fans in these places, even securing a travel interview can be a major obstacle.

DHS reviews additional countries

Now, the list could grow even longer. In a December 4 interview with FOX News, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the administration is reviewing more countries and expects the total number to exceed 30.

She argued that the U.S. needs reliable identity information from foreign governments before admitting visitors.

“If they can’t tell us who is coming to our country, why should we allow entry?” Noem said in the interview.

Officials have not released the names of the nations under consideration.

Limited exemptions and not for fans

FIFA has said that players, coaching staff, and their immediate families will receive exemptions so the competition can proceed without disruption. Fans, however, will not automatically qualify for the same treatment.

According to reporting from POLITICO, Haitian supporters many of whom live in the diaspora will not receive special consideration from the State Department.

Haiti’s national team has been forced to play its home fixtures in Curaçao due to gang violence and political instability, and the travel freeze adds another layer of uncertainty for its followers.

Policies still in flux

The review comes shortly after Trump announced on December 2 that his team would pause immigration processing for applicants from the 19 already-restricted nations.

Whether these steps will remain in effect through the World Cup depends on future policy decisions, but organizers are preparing for possible gaps in attendance from regions facing the stiffest restrictions.

For the millions of fans planning trips next summer, the spectacle of the World Cup remains intact. For supporters in several corners of the world, however, reaching the host stadiums may prove more difficult than watching their team qualify.

Sources: FOX News, POLITICO, FIFA