White House Proclamation Has Real Implications for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA2028

On June 4, 2025, the Administration issued a Proclamation called: Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. This Order fully restricts and “partially restricts” the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants into the United States. This blog focuses on the implications for athletes, sporting clubs, businesses, federations and fans. The United States is hosting some of the largest sporting events in the world and it is important that everyone is kept up to speed on the implications of this Order.

Countries that are Fully Restricted with Limited Entry

Per the Proclamation, the following countries are fully restricted with limited entry: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Countries that are Partially Restricted with Limited Entry

The following countries are partially restricted with limited entry: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

NOTE: Prudent organizations will consult with immigration counsel on the designations and limitations relating to the above referenced countries.

EXCEPTIONS FOR ATHLETES

The Proclamation sets out 8 exceptions to the restrictions. including one exception relating to sports. This exception reads:

…any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.

A Few Things to Consider

  • “Persons performing a necessary support role…” This is undefined. Organizations attending sporting events permitted under this exception must evaluate what exactly is a “necessary support role.” Does this apply to athletic trainers? Physios? Scouts?

  • “Immediate Relatives.” Again, this is gray.

  • Does it apply only to the World Cup and Olympics?

  • TRAVELING for the World Cup. We must note that the exception applies to those “TRAVELING for the World Cup….” This does not read “competing” or “participating.” Again, this is unclear. We could surmise that this includes competitors since it references the Olympics that are only being hosted by the United States. However, as we have seen with prior Executive Orders they seem to be drafted in a vague way to afford flexibility on implementation.

    • WORLD CUP SCENARIOS:

      • Let’s play this out….As we know, the World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. If the Order is enforced that the exception is only for travel (aka- a layover in the US in order to play a match in Canada), then teams may have an issue playing matches in the USA.

      • FANS:

        • Individuals from the listed countries most likely will not be able to watch matches in the USA.

      • FAMILY MEMBERS

        • Family members of athletes may not be able to travel to watch matches in the USA if they are not deemed “immediate family members.”

      • SPORT ADJACENT BUSINESSES AND MEDIA

        • Businesses doing work on the event, whether affiliated with a federation/team or not, must evaluate their workforce and ensure compliance with the Executive Order.

Again, it is recommended to seek counsel to advise on the exceptions. Even more, the Proclamation requires Homeland Security assess the limitations and suspensions and whether they should be continued, terminated, modified or supplemented within 90 days of the issuance of the order, and every 180 days thereafter. It is crucial for family members of athletes, and federations stay updated on this ever changing immigration landscape.

This Proclamation has real implications for the sports industry. Cirilli, LLC is happy to consult with entities looking to do business in the US.

Susie Cirilli