The order includes exemptions for athletes and staff attending "major sporting events," but for ordinary fans from the affected countries, hope remains slim.

U.S. President Donald Trump often says the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are among the events he is most excited about in his second term.

The U.S. State Department has sought to justify a travel ban that leaves nationals from over a dozen countries at risk of being blocked from entering the United States for the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games,