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01/15/26 04:52:00
Printable Page
01/15 16:51 CST US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics
exempt from Trump visa ban
US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump
visa ban
By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- The Trump administration has identified a host of athletic
competitions it classifies as "major sporting events" --- aside from soccer's
2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games --- that athletes and coaches will be
allowed to travel to the U.S. to take part in despite a broad visa ban on
nearly 40 countries.
In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates Wednesday, the State
Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the
Olympics and events endorsed or run by a long list of collegiate and
professional sporting leagues and associations would not be subject to the full
and partial travel bans that apply to citizens of 39 countries and the
Palestinian Authority.
However, the cable made clear that foreign spectators, media and corporate
sponsors planning to attend the same events would still be banned unless they
qualify for another exemption.
"Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics,
and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception," it said.
President Donald Trump's administration has issued a series of immigration and
travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of ongoing efforts to
tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners. At the same time, the
administration has been looking to ensure that athletes, coaches and fans are
able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump's Dec. 16 proclamation banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries
and the Palestinian Authority had carved out an exception for athletes and
staff competing in the World Cup, the Olympics and other major sporting events.
It delegated a decision on which other sporting events would be covered to
Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Wednesday's cable lists the events that are covered, including "all
competitions and qualifying events" for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games,
Pan-American Games, and Para Pan-American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or
recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying
events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or
endorsed by FIFA, soccer's governing body, or its confederations.
The exemption also will cover official events and competitions hosted by the
International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports
Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those
hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National
Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women's National
Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National
Hockey League, Professional Women's Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the
Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf,
Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment,
Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling.
The cable said other events and leagues could be added to the list.
Of the 39 countries, a full 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 Palestinian Authority-issued passports.
A partial ban is in place 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.
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