The Ivory Coast national football team will play in the 2026 World Cup without sending fans, due to US visa issues.

What happened ?

The strict US migration policy poses entry problems for some countries, including Ivory Coast. The president of the National Supporters Committee, Julien Kouadio Adonis, lamented this situation which prevents Ivorian supporters from traveling to the US.

Why is this important for the Ivory Coast national football team ?

This situation is difficult for the team, as it will not be able to count on the support of its fans during matches. The role of the small group of CNSE officials authorized to travel will be to supervise the Ivorian supporters based in the US.

What comes next ?

The Ivory Coast national football team must play two of its three group stage matches in the US, on June 15 and 25 in Philadelphia against Ecuador and Curaçao. Its second match, on June 20, will be played in Toronto, Canada, against Germany. | Date | Match | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-20 | Germany - Ivory Coast | 2-1 | The Ivory Coast national football team will therefore have to rely on the supporters of the diaspora on site, whose number is estimated by the CNSE to be over 1,000. Next fixture: vs Curaçao (away, 2026-06-25)