U.S. President Donald Trump could reportedly be set to add a further 11 nations to the already lengthy list of countries under a US travel ban ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by North American nations the United States, Mexico and Canada, is fast approaching with the group stage draw having taken place at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C. on December 5.
Several notable names were present at the ceremony, including Robbie Williams, Kevin Hart, Heidi Klum, Nicole Scherzinger, Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and the Village People, as well as Trump, who received the inaugural FIFA peace prize presented by Gianni Infantino.
According to FIFA, the 79-year-old was recognised for his “tireless efforts to promote peace”, having played a “pivotal role in establishing a ceasefire and promoting peace between Israel and Palestine” while also seeking an end to other conflicts around the world.
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And Trump will likely feature and have an impact on the tournament both before and during it, having already caused some nations’ fans complications by enforcing a travel ban.
In June of 2025, Trump announced restrictions to “protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors”.
He confirmed that citizens of 19 nations were no longer allowed to enter the US or travel to the nation was heavily restricted, impacting both Haiti and Iran, who have since qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Citizens of Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Laos, Libya, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen already face travel restrictions.
However, according to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, the US plans to expand the number of countries to 30, adding a further 11 nations to the travel ban list.
“I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30. And the president is continuing to evaluate countries,” Noem said when speaking to FOX News on December 4.
“If they don’t have a stable government there, if they don’t have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?”
It is unclear which countries will face the restrictions, although some exemptions will be made to allow players, staff, and families to attend the World Cup.
As per POLITICO, Haitian fans will not receive an exemption according to the State Department.
Haiti is currently dealing with a political crisis, as well as widespread gang violence and poor humanitarian conditions, which have forced the national team to play their home matches 500 miles away in Curacao.
This comes after, on December 2, Trump announced that his administration is pausing immigration applications from the 19 countries he banned earlier this year.
Topics: Donald Trump, FIFA, Football
Luke Davies