On July 1, 2026, Lumen Field in Seattle hosted a FIFA World Cup round-of-32 match between Belgium and Senegal. For most Senegalese nationals who wanted to be there, the stadium might as well have been on the moon.
U.S. travel restrictions, first implemented in December 2017, have effectively barred Senegalese tourists from entering the country. That left the local Senegalese diaspora in Seattle to carry the flag, packing into watch parties and whatever stadium seats they could access, cheering on the Lions of Teranga from inside American borders.
The match itself turned chaotic before a result was reached. Senegal was leading 1-0 when three separate pitch invasions disrupted play. Five people were ultimately arrested.
The fan token gap: Belgium has one, Senegal does not
Belgium launched a fan token, ticker $BELG, on June 3, 2026, through the Socios.com platform. Socios runs on Chiliz (CHZ), a blockchain infrastructure purpose-built for sports fan engagement. The $BELG token gives Belgian supporters access to voting on team-related decisions, exclusive content, and merchandise opportunities.
