Fans of two of Africa’s top soccer nations have had their World Cup plans upended because of a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration.
Senegal and Ivory Coast were added in December to the list of countries with partial restrictions on entry to the United States, which is co-hosting the June 11-July 19 tournament with Canada and Mexico.
Fans cheering for the two West African teams at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco were dismayed by the restrictions, which effectively bar those who don’t already have visas from traveling to the U.S. to watch the World Cup.
“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,” Senegal supporter Djibril Gueye told The Associated Press in Tangier, Morocco.
“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,” Gueye said.
President Donald Trump cited “screening and vetting deficiencies” as the main reason for the suspensions. Fans from Iran and Haiti, two other countries who have qualified for the World Cup, will be barred from entering the United States as well; they were included in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
The restrictions include an exception for players, team officials and immediate relatives traveling to the World Cup, but no allowance has been made for supporters.
“We really want to participate but we don’t know how,” said Fatou Diedhiou, the president of a group of female Senegal fans. “Now we just wait because the World Cup isn’t here yet, maybe they’ll change their minds. We don’t know. We wait and see.”
Sheikh Sy supported Senegal at the last World Cup in Qatar and was determined to find a way to get to the U.S.
“We’ve traveled everywhere with our team because we are the national fans of Senegal,” he said. “So, since Senegal has qualified for the World Cup, we absolutely have to go.”
Hoping for a solution
Senegal, which has reached the Africa Cup semifinals, plays its first World Cup game in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 16 against France, four days before facing Norway in the same stadium. Its final group stage match is in Toronto on June 26 against a playoff winner between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq.
Ivory Coast also has two games in the U.S., opening against Ecuador in Philadelphia on June 14 and finishing the group there on June 25 against Curacao after facing Germany in Toronto.
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé was optimistic a solution can be found for supporters. He pointed out that Ivorian fans faced a similar hurdle getting to Morocco for the Africa Cup when a visa requirement was introduced before the tournament.
“In the end, everything went very smoothly, and they were able to come as long as they had tickets to see the matches. I think things will be sorted out by the time of the World Cup,” Faé told The AP at the team hotel in Marrakech.
“It’s a celebration, football is a celebration, and for me, it would be a real shame — especially since the World Cup only comes around every four years — it would be a real shame not to let our supporters come and experience this celebration,” Faé said.
Limited support
Senegal and Ivory Coast face the prospect of playing only with limited support from fans who are legal U.S. residents, already have visas or have dual nationality with countries that are not affected by the travel ban.
Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande said there was little the players could do. It’s not their country, and their focus is solely on what happens on the field.
“It’s OK for us, we can play without supporters,” Diomande told The AP. “The most important thing is to win every game and fight for every game.”
Team captain Franck Kessie agreed, saying it was up to politicians to find a solution.
“There’s also an events committee managed by the Ivorian Football Federation, so I think together with the government, we’ll put things in place to make it easier for our supporters,” Kessie said.
Steep costs
The travel ban isn’t the only hurdle faced by Ivory Coast and Senegal fans hoping to go to the World Cup.
One fan wearing a lion mask for Senegal said he can travel to the U.S. because he also has French citizenship, but he won’t as “a matter of political conviction” and because of the high cost of tickets.
“I have the impression it’s all about the business world. They completely ignored the grassroots aspect,” said the fan, who gave his name simply as Pape.
Ivorian supporter Tan Detopeu, speaking in Casablanca, said she feared the team will have little support in the U.S. because few Ivorian supporters can afford the tickets.
“Even if there was no ban issue, I don’t think that many people would have gone to the World Cup either because it’s kind of expensive,” Detopeu said.
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