A sad blow to Senegal… the new racist decision shakes the World Cup!

The organizational crises that have cast a shadow over the 2026 World Cup continued after Senegalese authorities announced that visa applications from all fans who wanted to travel to the United States to support their country’s national team had been denied, deepening the controversy over the Trump administration’s policy on the tournament.

Senegalese authorities confirmed in statements to Agence France-Presse on Friday that no official delegation of fans will travel to American territory to support the Tiranga Lions after all applicants failed to obtain entry visas, a major blow to the hopes of African fans.

The crisis has not been limited to Senegal, but has spread to Cote d’Ivoire as the Trump administration has rejected all visa applications from around 500 Elephants fans, denying them the opportunity to support their team in their first World Cup appearance.

The decisions follow a similar denial of Somali referee Omar Abdelkader Artan, who was denied entry to the United States despite being officially assigned by FIFA to officiate one of the tournament’s games, a precedent believed to be the first of its kind in World Cup history.

The back-to-back crises deal a painful blow to the reputation of the tournament, which has been marred since its inception by off-field organizational problems over visas for fans, players and referees, at a time when the first 48-team World Cup was supposed to be a global football celebration.

The Trump administration’s strict visa policies are raising concerns for FIFA, which fears the effects of these decisions on public visits, particularly on the African continent, could make the tournament lose its luster and global character.

So far, there has been no official comment from FIFA or American authorities on the crisis, as criticism of the organizing committee mounts and many call for urgent intervention to resolve the dilemma before it worsens and casts a shadow over the running of the competition.