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The Senegal national team began its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Tuesday with a 3-1 loss to France at MetLife Stadium, and it did so in front of a largely partisan French crowd.
That’s because many Senegalese fans were unable to enter the country after a travel ban imposed on the country by President Donald Trump.
Senegal, as well as the Ivory Coast, Iran, and Haiti, were part of a December proclamation signed by Trump that limited entry into the country.
After the match, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly didn’t hold back when asked for his thoughts on the ban.
Kalidou Koulibaly Can’t Make Sense Of Senegal’s World Cup Travel Ban
“The federation did the work for us to have parents or our close family with us,” the former Chelsea defender told The Athletic following the loss to France. “But it’s true that some supporters couldn’t fly to America.
🚨🗣️ Kalidou Koulibaly: “The federation did the work for us to have parents or our close family with us. But it’s true that some supporters couldn’t fly to America.”
“I think that every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot have their… pic.twitter.com/XpPLkUTdBH
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) June 17, 2026
“I think that every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot have their people,” he continued. “I don’t want to speak about politics or something like this. I just want to speak about football, enjoy football, and I think football is for everybody.
“I just want to tell this, and I hope that the situation will be OK, but for me the most important (thing) is that we have to play for our people.”
This is, of course, far from the first controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup, particularly when it comes to the U.S., which has imposed strict travel limitations on selected countries.
Although co-hosts Canada and Mexico have had their fair share of issues as well. Here’s hoping that by the time the tournament ends, all people are talking about is the play on the field.