The Fifa World Cup is billed as an international festival of football – bringing people together from all over the globe to celebrate their countries on the pitch.
But the tournament, this year hosted across 16 cities in the USA, Canada and Mexico, is caught up in President Donald Trump’s strict US border rules – and not everyone appears to be welcome.
It’s the latest controversy to hit the 2026 World Cup, after sky-rocketing match ticket and transport prices, fears surrounding high temperatures for athletes and fans, and the ongoing war between the US and Iran.
There are 39 countries with a full or partial US travel ban under Trump’s administration, according to the latest update by US Congress in January.
Iran, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal are all playing at the World Cup – despite featuring on the list.
