Palestinian Soccer Chief and Iranian Fans: Everyone Who Can't Enter the US for the World Cup

The cancellation of tickets for Iran fans for the 2026 World Cup, as revealed by the country's football federation last Tuesday, is one of the groups affected by the strict and aggressive border restrictions imposed by the Donald Trump administration in the United States. The issue has long been dismissed as trivial by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, but the consequences of Iran being at war with one of the tournament's hosts are starting to show. Iranian state media reported that 15 officials were denied visas to enter the US, while the squad in Mexico reportedly had to enter and exit the US on the same day as their match.

Additionally, last weekend, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan – considered one of Africa's top officials – was denied entry at the Miami border due to "vetting issues", raising serious questions about the US Border Protection (CBP) process as well as FIFA. Tight restrictions implemented by the Trump administration are already having an impact on the World Cup. However, they are not the only ones affected, from players and executives to officials and fans.

The latest on Friday was that the head of the Palestine Football Association was still waiting for permission to enter the US from Mexico City. Here is a list of everyone affected by strict US border requirements.

Head of Palestinian football On Friday, Palestinian football chief Jibril Rajoub revealed that he was still waiting for permission to enter the US and was currently in Mexico City. Despite being accredited, Rajoub - who is chairman of the Palestine Football Association - is among several international football officials who have been refused US visas or are still awaiting their approval. Although the Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup, FIFA traditionally invites the heads of global football associations, framing the quadrennial event as a celebration of international unity. Rajoub said: "I do not believe that it is fair to use or abuse and deny the right of all footballers around the world to attend."

Infantino previously stated last year that "everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for next year's FIFA World Cup. We are working on that." But on Wednesday, amid these visa issues, he said: "We need to respect that we are not kings of the world who can regulate governments and police forces."

Iran supporter Iran claims that ticket allocations to its supporters have been revoked - just one week before their first match against New Zealand in Los Angeles. The country's football federation (FFIRI) said on Tuesday that this was a decision that would "damage the presence of Iranian fans", with many who had made travel plans now unable to attend their team's matches, two of which took place in Los Angeles, and one in Seattle. According to FIFA regulations, each country receives eight percent of tickets for each match allocated to their federation and fans. Iran said the move "contradicts the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries."

Inevitably, that's not the only issue related to Iran and the World Cup.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan The Somali referee, who has officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations, is one of 52 referees for this summer's tournament. However, last weekend, after arriving at Miami International Airport from Türkiye, he was denied entry into the US by CBP due to unspecified "screening issues." Artan has revealed that he underwent an 11-hour immigration interview and, speaking to the New York Times, he confirmed that he held the "right documents" and "the right visa." "I'm very, very disappointed," he said. "I'm just a referee trying to live his dream – the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."

FIFA, for its part, distanced itself from the decision. A statement said: "FIFA is not involved in the host country's immigration process, including visa assessments, and has been informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan's status will not be changed at this time." Somalia's Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire, lamented the decision, adding: "I remain hopeful that a solution can be found. Football is best when it brings people together and celebrates merit, inclusion and opportunity."

Team Iran Having changed their base from Arizona to the Mexican city of Tijuana, which is located just across the border from San Diego, the Iranian squad is already facing visa problems. According to the country's ambassador in Mexico, the squad of players will only be allowed into the US on the day of their group matches before leaving immediately after the match ends. Los Angeles, the venue for their first two games, is only a 30-minute flight from Tijuana but Seattle, where they face Egypt in "the pride of the World Cup", is about three hours by plane. FIFA World Cup rules require each team to travel the day before each match, attend a press conference at the stadium, as well as have the opportunity to train at the stadium. Iran is unlikely to be able to fulfill these obligations. Additionally, 15 officials and staff were denied visas to enter the US. "We are very disappointed with this behavior," said Amir Ghalenoei, Iran's head coach. "This is clearly unprecedented."

The US State Department claimed that "the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup" had been issued, adding: "We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to smuggle terrorists into the United States under false pretenses."

Breel Embolo The star Swiss forward, who has scored 24 goals in 86 international appearances, joined his teammates late in the camp in the US after experiencing problems with his US entry visa. It is believed to be linked to a 2018 dispute in Basel, for which US authorities requested additional checks. The Swiss Football Federation stated that officials sought documents after Embolo was punished in 2023 for making several threats. He was given a suspended fine.

Iraqi Personnel Iraq, which is in the group alongside France, Senegal and Norway, has been affected by the closure of US consular services in the country – a result of the conflict in the Middle East. For those with the proper documentation, some find the US border process onerous. Team photographer Talal Salah was denied entry and detained for more than 10 hours after his phone was searched. As for the 30-year-old attacker, Aymen Hussein, he was allowed in but only after being questioned for almost seven hours in Chicago.

British LGBTQ+ fans It's not a matter of official US policy, but the UK's official LGTBQ+ support group – Three Lions Pride (3LP) – revealed in January that they would not be a visible presence in the US this summer. A statement explained that a "dangerous decline in human rights" in the US had deterred fans from attending. 3LP has around 350 members and regularly attends matches.

Haitian fan Apart from Iran, Haitian citizens face a full ban on entry to the US, while Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions. Additionally, countries like Uzbekistan and Ecuador experience US visa denial rates of around 40%, making it very difficult for fans of these countries to commit to attending games in the US.