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Topics: Donald Trump, Football, US News
Callum Jones
Topics: Donald Trump, Football, US News
FIFA, soccer's governing body, is said to have made a decision regrading the involvement of one national team at this year's World Cup.
Amid all the controversy happening in the US right now involving ICE, it's hard to believe the country will be hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar alongside Mexico and Canada this summer.
As preparations for the festival of football continues, fans of many countries have been left worried they won't be permitted into the US based on Donald Trump's move to freeze migration visa applications for a number of nations.
Soccer fans from Morocco, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt, Iran, Cape Verde, Uruguay, Senegal, Algeria, Jordan, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Ghana, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq and Brazil are concerned they could be denied entry to the US this June.
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However, Trump's visa ban should not affect those hoping to watch or work at the World Cup, since they'll need a temporary tourist visa or business visa and not an immigration visa, ITV reports.
Fans from Haiti and Iran, however, are completely banned from entering the US, with partial restrictions on Senegal and Ivory Coast too.
In the aftermath of the news, a Senegal fan told the Associated Press: “I don’t know why the American president would want teams from certain countries not to take part. If that’s the case, they shouldn’t agree to host the World Cup.
“It’s up to the United States to provide the conditions, the means, and the resources to allow the qualified countries so everyone can go and support their team.”
There had been speculation that Senegal as a team were facing a ban from the World Cup based on what happened at the AFCON final.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 earlier this month, in a highly controversial match which saw Senegal's manager, Pape Thiaw, order his players to walk off the pitch after a questionable penalty was awarded to Morocco.
Senegal ultimately went on to win the match after returning to the pitch as the Morocco spot kick was saved.
While Senegal ultimately lifted the cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF)'s rules say a country 'shall be considered loser if they 'refuse to play or leave the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee'.
CAF's disciplinary committee are said to be weighing up a final decision when it comes to what sanctions it may impose on Senegal, according to a report by French publication L'Equipe.
When it comes to this summer's World Cup, the report added Senegal's participation is not at risk.
Senegal are set to play France and Norway at the World Cup, while one of Iraq, Suriname or Bolivia will join them in Group I.
It will be Senegal's fourth appearance at the World Cup after making their debut in the competition in 2002.
UNILAD has reached out to FIFA for comment.