The big meeting is approaching. In less than a month, the football world will vibrate to the rhythm of the 23rd edition of the World Cup, organized in the United States, Canada and Mexico. A historic edition, the first to bring together 48 nations. Algeria and Senegal will be there.
But these two selections risked having to cope without some of their supporters. As part of the restrictive migration policy led by President Donald Trump, the United States was considering imposing a deposit of between $5,000 and $15,000 (4,250 to 12,800 euros) on nationals of several developing countries, including Algeria and Senegal, to obtain a tourist visa. This sum had to be reimbursed upon return to the country of origin.
Finally, Washington announced on Wednesday a relaxation of the system. According to the State Department, cited by RMCthis deposit will no longer apply to members of delegations involved in the World Cup or to supporters who already have tickets and registered with the “Fifa Pass”, the priority system put in place to speed up the obtaining of visas.
14,000 supporters affected
Still according to the State Department, only 14,000 ticket holders had opted for this priority procedure at the beginning of May. “We remain committed to strengthening U.S. national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup”said Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.
Five countries qualified for the World Cup remain affected by this deposit system: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia. Two other qualified nations also face near-total entry restrictions: Haiti and Iran, the latter of which is plunged into strong geopolitical tensions after the Israeli-US strikes on February 28, which caused a regional escalation.
