Jordan fans frustrated by US visa hurdles

The closure of the US Embassy in Jordan has heightened the frustrations of Jordanian football fans hoping to see their team make their World Cup debut in three months’ time.

While the US-Israeli and Iranian attacks that caused its shuttering on Friday dominate headlines and thoughts, fans looking forward to an escape are left in the dark. The US embassy site simply says that “all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are canceled until further notice”.

Having spoken to a number of Jordanian fans, DW understands that many had already had visa applications rejected for the tournament, in which their national team is to play all three group matches in the US. Many more still wait, some having shelled out thousands for tickets. They all want answers from the US or the tournament organizers, FIFA.

Gianni Infantino’s organization did not respond to a DW request for comment, and former Jordan international, Mohammad Khair, said many fans felt frustrated by the lack of clarity.

Bigger tournament, greater frustrations

“When FIFA decided to add more teams to this World Cup, they should have also made sure it is easy for everyone to go and force the host country to smooth out the visa process,” he told DW.

FIFA’s consistent line on visa issues has been to defer to US immigration and state that such things are outside its remit. The organization also points to the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) available to ticket holders.

“America welcomes the World. We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history – and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that,” said Infantino on its launch in November.

But with FIFA having opened a surprise extra 48-hour ticket window at the end of February — despite previously saying it had sold all available tickets — and further batches expected to come to market ahead of the June 11 tournament opener, Jordan fans without tickets must either buy a ticket and hope for the best or miss out. Those with tickets but no visa may have to take a financial hit on resale.

“We were waiting for this dream to come true. I pursued every possible way to go and support our team, but the visa procedure is really tough,” Jordan fan Mahmoud Obaidat told DW.

“Plus, there is this random draw (lottery), so you might plan and pay, and then you won’t get any tickets,” he added, referring to fans booking their travel on the off chance they could get lucky. “I applied for a visa three months ago and got rejected.”

Not having obtained a ticket yet, either, Obaidait’s chances of supporting his team in the US appear negligible.

Jordan fans ask for US help

Obaidat at least has the certainty of rejection, unlike many of his compatriots who were waiting on a judgment even before the closure of the embassy. Those fans, like Ghazi Al Samouee, can only appeal to the US and FIFA to hear their plea.

“The dream of seeing our national team in the World Cup is here, but with heavy hearts, we ask for help from the US Embassy to look closely at the Jordanian fans’ applications. We applied, but we didn’t hear any answer until now. Our applications are stuck there.”

Al Samouee is the leader of the Ultras (hardcore supporters) of Jordanian club Al Ramtha SC and is on the list of fans eligible to apply through the country’s football association. Such fans are usually able to travel to tournaments with minimal fuss and access cheaper tickets.

Contacted by DW, the Jordanian FA declined comment on the matter.

No travel ban but reason for rejection

While Jordan is not under the kind of blanket US travel ban that will prevent fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran (if the team do not boycott) from traveling, it was on the list of 75 countries from which the US has stopped processing immigrant visas earlier this year. The Trump administration said that immigrants from Jordan had “a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the US taxpayer.”

While this ban does not directly affect World Cup travel visas, it may reflect the US administration’s attitude towards foreigners. A number of fans DW spoke to in Amman were reluctant to voice their fears about such matters publicly. But one said the message from the US embassy was that they “could not be sure that those who go to the United States will return to Jordan after the World Cup is over.”

With travel bans and visa issues, as well as the high price of tickets preventing supporters from making their way to the US to follow their teams, the stands for many matches could be filled with fans from various diaspora populations already in the country. Jordan’s games in California and Texas now appear likely to be among them.

“We, as Jordanians, are hoping to get support from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinians who live in the USA to cheer for our team, as the Jordanian diaspora is not very large there,” said former player Khair.

While US citizens with links to nearby countries may help FIFA fill their seats and their coffers, it will be tough to stomach for those Jordanians forced to watch their country’s World Cup debut from afar.

Dana Sumlaji and Sami Jarwan contributed to this report.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold