At a Glance
- Athletes, coaches and support staff for major U.S. sporting events are exempt from visa bans affecting 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority
- Foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors remain banned unless they qualify for another exemption
- The exemption covers events from the Olympics and World Cup to NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and other professional leagues
- Why it matters: International athletes can compete in U.S. events despite broad immigration restrictions
The Trump administration will allow athletes, coaches and support staff from nearly 40 banned countries to enter the United States for major sporting events, while keeping restrictions in place for spectators and media.
A State Department cable sent Wednesday to all U.S. embassies and consulates outlines which competitions qualify for the exemption from visa bans that apply to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
Who Gets the Exemption
The cable makes clear that only a limited group will benefit from the exception.
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” the cable states.
Those covered include:
- Athletes competing in qualifying and championship events
- Coaches and support staff for participating teams
- Officials and personnel essential to event operations
The exemption applies to events beyond just soccer’s 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, which were specifically mentioned in President Trump’s December 16 proclamation establishing the travel restrictions.
What’s Still Banned
Foreign spectators hoping to attend these events remain subject to the visa bans unless they qualify for a separate exemption. The same restriction applies to media personnel and corporate sponsors planning to attend.
The administration has issued a series of immigration and travel bans as part of efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners from certain countries.
Events Covered
Wednesday’s cable provides an extensive list of exempt competitions and organizations. The exemption covers:
International Events:
- Olympic Games and qualifying events
- Paralympic Games and qualifying events
- Pan-American Games and Para Pan-American Games
- Special Olympics competitions and qualifiers
- FIFA events and qualifiers, including the 2026 World Cup
U.S. Organizations:
- Events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by U.S. National Governing Bodies
- NCAA competitions and championships
- Professional sports leagues including:
- National Football League
- National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association
- Major League Baseball and Little League
- National Hockey League and Professional Women’s Hockey League
- NASCAR and Formula 1
- Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association and LIV Golf
- Major League Rugby and Major League Soccer
- World Wrestling Entertainment
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- All Elite Wrestling
International Organizations:
- International Military Sports Council events
- International University Sports Federation competitions
The cable notes that additional events and leagues could be added to this list in the future.
The Travel Bans
The visa restrictions divide affected countries into two categories with different levels of prohibition.
Full Travel Ban Applies To:
Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, 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.
Partial Ban Applies To:
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The December 16 proclamation delegated authority to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to determine which additional sporting events would receive exemptions beyond the World Cup and Olympics.
Olympic Task Force
Separate from the visa exemptions, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Task Force to oversee preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
This task force will coordinate federal support for the games, though specific details about its composition or mandate were not included in the cable.
The administration’s actions represent an attempt to balance its broader immigration restrictions with the practical needs of hosting international sporting events that require participation from athletes worldwide, including those from countries now subject to visa bans.
Key Takeaways:
- Athletes and essential staff from banned countries can compete in U.S. events
- Fans and media from those countries generally cannot attend without separate exemptions
- The exemption covers major professional and amateur sports organizations
- Additional events may be added to the exempt list
