Fans from World Cup countries banned from entering the US for the World Cup
Ivory Coast fans have sadly been stopped from entering the US before the World Cup, says the president of the national supporters committee.
After months of waiting, the 2026 World Cup is finally here! The opening game between hosts Mexico and South Africa will kick off at 8:00 pm BST on June 11.
This World Cup will be held across North America, with the United States, Mexico, and Canada all hosting games through the summer. A record 48 teams will play 104 matches. Canada and Mexico will each host 13 games, while the USA will host 78, including the final on July 19 at New York’s MetLife Stadium.
But before the tournament even starts, there have been many problems with fans trying to get into the US. Some have been stopped because of visa issues.
One well-known case is Somali referee Omar Artan, who was turned away on Sunday. Also, some Iranian team support staff were denied entry. FIFA said on Monday that they are not involved in the US immigration process or visa decisions.
Now, Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of the National Committee of Elephants Supporters, said trips for Ivory Coast’s few traveling fans have been cancelled because the US “does not want” them there.
“The supporters had to cancel their trip because the US government doesn’t want fans from certain countries like Ivory Coast on their soil. The US has been clear with us about this,” Kouadio shared with AFP.
“This is very upsetting because it stops us from doing our important job—supporting our team.”
Back in March, Kouadio hoped that 500 fans would be able to travel to cheer on Ivory Coast during their Group E matches.
Ivory Coast will start their World Cup journey against Ecuador at midnight BST on June 15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Then, they will face a tough match against Germany on June 20 at 9:00 pm in Toronto.
For their final group game, Ivory Coast will play against Curaçao, who are appearing in their first-ever World Cup, on June 14 at 6:00 pm in Houston, Texas.