Jamaican club Mount Pleasant will be missing several key players for their Concacaf Champions Cup debut after 10 members of the squad were denied visas to enter the United States.

The team, which won the 2025 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, is scheduled to face MLS side LA Galaxy on Wednesday at Dignity Health Sports Park in California. With a large portion of the squad unable to travel, Mount Pleasant has been forced to turn to academy players to fill the gaps.

The situation stems from a travel ban introduced by the United States that blocks Haitian nationals from entering the country. Mount Pleasant’s squad includes seven players from Haiti, and the restrictions have left the club scrambling ahead of the match.

The Champions Cup, run by Concacaf, brings together clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It remains unclear whether any special exemption exists for teams competing in the tournament.

The visa issues also raise questions ahead of this summer’s World Cup, which will be cohosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Haiti has qualified for the tournament for only the second time and is set to face Morocco, Scotland and Brazil in the group stage.

While US authorities have indicated that players will receive exemptions to travel bans for the World Cup, no such assurances have been given for supporters hoping to attend the matches. The State Department previously explained that a special appointment system for ticket holders helps secure visa interview slots but does not guarantee entry for individuals who are otherwise ineligible.

Under current guidance, athletes, coaches and essential team staff can qualify for exemptions, but the same rules do not extend to fans.

The United States will stage the majority of the 2026 World Cup, hosting 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches across 11 cities, with the final in New Jersey.