World Cup: Tunisia Facing US Entry Issues Ahead of Match vs Netherlands

He joined in April 2024, having previously worked at VAVEL as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, where he produced a variety of content, including pieces from press conferences and games. He also won an award for his role as lead editor for the Women's Football section of the online newspaper.

Covering football all across Europe, he has worked at stadiums such as Anfield, Old Trafford, and Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, as well as having reported at both the 2023 men's and women's Champions League finals in Eindhoven and Istanbul.

He is infatuated with every aspect of football, but likes other sports as well, being an avid coffee-desperate Buffalo Bills supporter from across the pond and a darts' newbie. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account Following the logistical complications Uruguay faced when their plane was denied entry into the USA ahead of their World Cup opener last week, a second nation is now facing a race against the clock to be in the country in time for their decisive group game. Visa entry problems have been a regular theme in the early knockings of this summer’s showpiece event.

Perhaps the most noteworthy incident was the one that saw Somali referee Omar Artan prevented from making history, as his alleged links to a terrorist organisation meant he was sent back home. Meanwhile, players such as Breel Embolo, as well as staff like Iran’s head coach, along with journalists and photographers, have also been among those affected.

The strict US border control, put in place by Donald Trump and his administration, has created a stark contradiction in football politics after both he and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino claimed the “world will be welcome to America”. And now, another nation is having to deal with the headaches of a convoluted visa system.

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According to Romain Molina - a journalist who has previously worked for The Guardian and The New York Times - Tunisia are facing issues with visas ahead of their travel to the USA.

Although they are now eliminated following heavy defeats to Sweden and Japan, the final Group F match still carries huge weight for the Netherlands, who will head into the fixture feeling a win is needed to maintain top spot.

Indeed, as per Molina, the issues should be resolved in time, but a complication between someone from the federal office and a member of the Tunisia delegation has still made the process of getting to Kansas City difficult.

As he explains, it is down to “single-use visas”, similar to Iran’s previous complications, which meant “an Iranian player and the federation had to ‘remake’ the visa.” The administrative side to US immigration policies means that visitors are usually only allowed to enter the country once in a specified timeframe.

The Eagles of Carthage sacked their manager after just one match at this summer’s World Cup, with Mondher Kebaie being handed his P45 after a 5-1 loss to Sweden. But while the appointment of Herve Renard was supposed to inspire the side to punch well above their weight, a 4-0 loss to Japan soon followed.

Now, several rumours are floating around about a potential exodus within the Tunisian governing body, with several members at loggerheads over where to go next. On the surface, neutrals are wondering how they even qualified for the tournament, given the lack of fight they’ve put up.

Having been drawn into a qualifying group with the worst-ranked team in Pot 2 (Equatorial Guinea), the second-worst ranked team in Pot 3 (Namibia), the second-worst ranked team in Pot 4 (Malawi) and the worst-ranked team in Pot 5 (Liberia), it was an unbelievable stroke of luck for them. But sadly, that fortune ran dry when it mattered most.