'A World Cup for them not us': Fans' anger at U.S. travel bans and visa restrictions

The U.S. State Department published a list of additional visa-screening requirements for citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Chad in the run-up to next year's World Cup. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from supporters' groups and national football federations; Nigeria's football association called it "collective punishment."

A spokesperson for a Lagos-based supporters' association told the BBC: "We deserve to travel and back our team too — this tournament is not for them, it is for the world." The hashtag #LetAfricaWatch trended on social media; some federations plan to draft an open letter to FIFA through tournament sponsors.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said on Monday that a formal letter had been delivered to Washington and that the restrictions "run counter to the unifying spirit of sport." The U.S. Embassy in Lagos said the additional screening was "linked to individual security assessments" and that eligible supporters' applications would be processed under normal procedure.