Haiti Qualifies — but Its Fans May Be Shut Out

Haiti secured just their second-ever World Cup appearance after beating Nicaragua 2–0 on November 19. Yet Haitian fans eager to follow their team to the US may face a harsh reality: they are covered by Trump’s renewed travel ban signed in June.

The ban includes 18 other countries and blocks entry for people from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also partially restricts nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Trump, now 79, has cited national security risks as the justification for these restrictions.

While exemptions will be granted to allow players, team staff, and their immediate families to travel for the tournament, Haitian supporters will not be included, according to the State Department, as reported by POLITICO.

This makes Haiti the second qualifying nation — alongside Iran — whose fans will be barred from entering the US during the World Cup.

Haiti’s Crisis Intensifies the Blow

Haiti continues to grapple with a severe political crisis, rampant gang violence, and worsening humanitarian conditions. These challenges have been so significant that the national team has been forced to play its home matches 500 miles away, in Curaçao.

For the country’s passionate supporters, qualifying for the World Cup should have been a rare moment of joy. Instead, many may now face the heartbreak of being unable to watch their team compete on American soil.