Trump travel ban sparks World Cup questions — and raises more soccer issues

“On Wednesday night, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a travel ban against 12 countries in a move he described as ‘protecting the national security and national interest of the United States and its people.’ The ban goes into effect on Monday, and it entails a ban against travel into the United States by citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. This ban relates to the entry of both immigrants and non-immigrants. Trump also imposed partial restrictions and limits on the entry of nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. From a soccer perspective, the news is particularly significant because FIFA is hosting two tournaments in the United States over the next 13 months — first the FIFA Club World Cup, which will begin June 14, and then the World Cup in 2026, which will be shared with Canada and Mexico. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic – World Cup travel ban fallout is ‘part of what it means to host an event’: State Dept
NY Times/The Athletic – Donald Trump’s travel ban undermines Gianni Infantino’s World Cup vision