The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than six months away, with soccer stars, coaches, and fans all hyped up. However, people from selected countries are set to be barred from witnessing the 23rd edition of the historic tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
2026 FIFA World Cup Ban To Stop Fans From Travel
According to the BBC, United States President Donald Trump has imposed travel bans on a few countries ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The White House has confirmed that the bans, which took effect on January 1, are intended to maintain the security of the co-host nation.
The bans are set to affect four nations. They will not have an impact on permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, or athletes travelling for big sporting events. Haiti and Iran both have had a complete ban imposed, while Senegal and Ivory Coast have partial restrictions.
Meanwhile, President Trump has also recently issued warnings to two nations amid tensions with Venezuela. 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosts Mexico and Colombia could also be banned.
The upcoming tournament is set to begin on June 11 with a Group A clash between Mexico and South Africa. The competition, featuring 48 teams, will conclude with the final on July 19.
Will Lionel Messi Feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi completed his trophy cabinet after helping Argentina notch the 2022 FIFA World Cup crown in Qatar. And, with him 38 now, he has yet to confirm whether he will play in the upcoming edition of the prestigious quadrennial tournament.
Asked about Messi’s potential to feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni stated that he is still unsure and is keen to allow the player to make a decision.
“I met with Messi, I’m very close to his house. As for the FIFA World Cup, we’ll see later, we talked about many things, but not about that, because there’s still time. There’s no need to overwhelm him, let him be calm, and make the decision he has to make. Then, we’ll think about what’s best for the team based on that. For now, we talked about other things, not about whether he’ll be at the World Cup or not,” Scaloni replied.
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“Those of us who know him understand that he will never relax. He’s a born competitor, he wants to win, he wants to play, he always wants to be there. That’s extremely important… especially for his teammates, who see their captain behave that way and want to come and play for the national team wherever it may be, he always wants to be there,” he added.
Messi, who has won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball award twice so far, has contributed 13 goals and eight assists in 26 appearances for Argentina in the global competition.
