United States Allows Entry to Athletes from 39 Countries for Major Sporting Events
The Trump administration has designated a series of sporting competitions as “major sporting events”, allowing athletes and coaches to enter the United States, despite the visa ban affecting nearly 40 countries. This excludes the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games. According to a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates on Wednesday, the State Department reported that athletes, coaches, and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympic Games, and events endorsed or managed by a wide range of collegiate and professional sports leagues and associations, will not be subject to the total and partial travel bans that apply to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority. The statement clarified that foreign spectators, media, and corporate sponsors planning to attend the same events will still be barred, unless they qualify for another exemption.The administration of President Donald Trump has issued a series of immigration and travel bans, as well as other visa restrictions, as part of ongoing efforts to tighten entry standards to the United States for foreigners. At the same time, the administration has sought to ensure that athletes, coaches, and fans can attend major sporting events in the United States. Trump’s December 16 proclamation, which prohibits the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority, had established an exception for athletes and staff competing in the World Cup, the Olympics, and other major sporting events. He delegated the decision on which other sporting events would be covered to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Wednesday cable lists the events that are covered, including “all competitions and qualifying events” for the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan American Games, and the Para-Pan American Games; events organized, sanctioned, or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions organized or supported by FIFA, the governing body of soccer, or its confederations. The exemption will also cover official events and competitions organized by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, as well as those organized or supported by professional sports leagues in the United States such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, the National Hockey League, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, the Women’s Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and All Elite Wrestling. The cable indicated that other events and leagues could be added to the list. Of the 39 countries, a total travel ban applies to Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and people with passports issued by the Palestinian Authority. A partial ban is in effect for citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception.
Official Statement
