Ivorian supporters banned from United States, unable to attend 2026 World Cup

Ivory Coast supporters will not be able to accompany the Elephants at the 2026 World Cup: the United States has refused their visa applications, depriving the Ivorian team of home support during the group phase.

Ivory Coast will play its three group matches on American soil, in Group E against Ecuador (June 15), Germany (June 20) and Curaçao (June 25). This is the fourth World Cup appearance for the Ivorians, after 2006, 2010 and 2014.

“Supporters gave up on the trip because the American state does not want to see supporters from certain countries, including Ivory Coast, on its soil,” said Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of the National Committee of Elephants Supporters (CNSE), to AFP. “The United States was clear with us in saying they did not want to see our supporters. This situation hurts us deeply because it prevents us from fulfilling our duty, which is to support our team. We could have presented our culture, our expertise in supporting from the stands.”

This situation stems directly from the Trump administration’s migration policy. In December, the American president extended the “travel ban” — the ban on travel — to nationals of seven new countries, including Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria.

For the Elephants, the sporting stakes remain high: qualification for the knockout stages would constitute their best result in the history of the competition. They will have to achieve it without the support of their fans in the stands.