Fans in Iraq,the Ivory Coast and other countries can’t cheer on their teams (Picture: Getty)
Donald Trump’s travel bans and tighter visa restrictions have left football fans struggling to access tickets or travel to the US fuming.
More than a quarter of the countries taking part in the World Cup are affected by travel bans to the country and have higher visa rejection rates,the BBC found.
Members of Iran’s football team were forced to land in Mexico over ongoing visa issues.
All three of Iran’s group games are in the United States,but players and staff will have to fly in and out of the country on the day of each match.
Iran said 15 officials and other staff were denied visas flat out,which they have branded political interference.
The Iranian football team had to visit the US Embassy in Turkey to get visas (Picture: EPA)A US administration official said: ‘We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences.’And it isn’t just teams facing issues ahead of the big kickoff – fans from around the world are heartbroken after being banned from travelling to cheer on their countries.Julien Kouadio Adonis,a member of the Ivory Coast’s fan association,described the bans as a form of segregation.‘No European country has faced this kind of restriction,’ he told the BBC. ‘Why Africa?’Mr Adonis said football is a game that needs spectators,and said a country which doesn’t want to welcome all supporters shouldn’t be allowed to host the tournament.The visa recommended for football fans costs around £137 and involves an in-person interview.Visitors must demonstrate their ‘intent to depart the United States after your trip,and/or your ability to pay all costs of the trip’.A few countries were exempt from this price,including Algeria,Cape Verde,the Ivory Coast,Senegal and Tunisia. But the prices and other restrictions have still made it difficult for fans to attend.The main concern for the Department of Homeland Security appears to be football fans who may try to overstay their visa after the tournament ends.The DHS found that more than 538,000 ‘overstay events’ were documented between 2023 and 2024.Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .For more stories like this,check our news page.Disclaimer: This article is reproduced from other media. The purpose of reprinting is to convey more information. It does not mean that this website agrees with its views and is responsible for its authenticity, and does not bear any legal responsibility. All resources on this site are collected on the Internet. The purpose of sharing is for everyone's learning and reference only. If there is copyright or intellectual property infringement, please leave us a message.
©Copyright 2009-2020 Startup Weekly Contact Us SiteMap
