USA accused of 'humiliating' World Cup football teams by treating them like 'criminals'
The World Cup is just days away, but increasingly strict immigration restrictions are continuing to disrupt travel plans for football fans - and now, some players too.
Many have recently hit back against organisers in the US after players from the Senegal and Uzbekistan teams were reportedly subjected to 'humiliating' security checks ahead of the highly anticipated competition.
According to a report by Metro, teams had to endure intense security screenings after landing at various US airports, including San Antonio, Texas and New York.
Players from the Senegalese team are said to have faced scrupulous bag checks ahead of their first game against France on 16 June.
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Meanwhile, Uzbek players, who first play Colombia on 17 June, were met by sniffer dogs and metal detectors, despite having already passed security checks.
Footage posted on social media showed security staff testing footballers' shoes and scanning them outside.
Reacting to the situation, one X user described the treatment of the Senegal team as 'straight up humiliating', adding that it was a 'disgrace' and insisting 'they’d never put white boys through the same.’
Senegal is one of the countries Trump chose to partially restrict last year, making it more difficult for its citizens to get visas to enter the US.
Meanwhile, according to the Guardian, football fans from Uzbekistan are facing visa rejection rates of over 40 percent.
It comes after Somali referee Omar Artan, who was chosen to officiate the World Cup, was turned away at Miami International Airport due to ‘vetting concerns’.
More than a quarter of competing countries have been affected by recent travel bans, tighter regulations or high visa rejection rates.
Iran, which will have its first match against New Zealand on 16 June, was forced to land in Mexico due to an ongoing political dispute between its leader and Donald Trump.
The team will play all three of their matches in the US, but will be made to fly in and out of the country on the day of each match.
In response to the allegations, a US administration official said: "We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences."
And it's not just the players struggling to make it onto the pitch. Fans have also been facing challenges in gaining entry to the country.
Julien Kouadio Adonis, a member of the Ivory Coast’s fan association, has criticised the situation and described the bans as a 'form of segregation that doesn't dare speak its name'.
"No European country has faced this kind of restriction," he told the BBC. "Why Africa?"
He later added that football relied on its spectators and that those hosting the tournament should welcome all supporters.
The US will join Canada and Mexico in hosting 48 teams from around the globe to compete for the 2026 World Cup title.
2026 World Cup fixture schedule and UK kick off times
Thursday, 11 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm - Mexico City, Mexico
Friday, 12 June
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada
Saturday, June 13
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, US
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, kick-off 8pm - Santa Clara, US
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - New Jersey, US
Sunday, June 14
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 2am - Foxborough, US
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, kick-off 5am - Vancouver, Canada
Group E: Germany vs Curacao, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, US
Monday, 15 June
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, kick-off 12am - Philadelphia, US
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, kick-off 3am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Tuesday, 16 June
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, US
Group I: France vs Senegal, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, US
Wednesday, 17 June
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, US
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, kick-off 5am - Santa Clara, US
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group L: England vs Croatia, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, US
Thursday, 18 June
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, kick-off 3am - Mexico City, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, kick-off 11pm - Vancouver, Canada
Friday, 19 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, US
Saturday, 20 June
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 1.30am - Philadelphia, US
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Toronto, Canada
Sunday, 21 June
Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 1am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 5am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Monday, 22 June
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 2am - Vancouver, Canada
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Tuesday, 23 June
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 1am - Toronto, Canada
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Wednesday, 24 June
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 12am - Foxborough, US
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 11pm - Atlanta, US
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Thursday, 25 June
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Philadelphia, US
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Friday, 26 June
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 12am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 12am - Arlington, US
Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 3am - Los Angeles, US
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 3am - Santa Clara, US
Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 8pm - Foxborough, US
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada
Saturday, 27 June
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 1am - Houston, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 1am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 4am - Seattle, US
Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 28 June
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 12.30am - Miami, US
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 12.30am - Atlanta, US
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 3am - Kansas City, US
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 3am - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Monday, 29 June
Round of 32 - Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 32 - Match 74: Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, kick-off 9.30pm - Foxborough, US
Tuesday, 30 June
Round of 32 - Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Wednesday, 1 July
Round of 32 - Match 79: Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 32 - Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, kick-off 9pm - Seattle, US
Thursday, 2 July
Round of 32 - Match 81: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, kick-off 1am - Santa Clara, US
Round of 32 - Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Friday, 3 July
Round of 32 - Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, kick-off 7pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 86: Group J winners vs Group H runners-up, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Saturday, 4 July
Round of 32 - Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, kick-off 2.30am - Kansas City, US
Round of 16 - Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 16 - Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 5 July
Round of 16 - Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Monday, 6 July
Round of 16 - Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, kick-off 1am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 16 - Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Tuesday, 7 July
Round of 16 - Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, kick-off 1am - Seattle, US
Round of 16 - Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 16 - Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, kick-off 9pm - Vancouver, Canada
Thursday, 9 July
Quarter-final - Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Friday, 10 July
Quarter-final - Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Saturday, 11 July
Quarter-final - Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 12 July
Quarter-final - Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, US
Tuesday, 14 July
Semi-final - Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Wednesday, 15 July
Semi-final - Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, kick-off 8pm - Atlanta, US
Saturday, 18 July
Third Place Playoff - Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 19 July
Final - Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
Alice Wade