Sawt Falasteen - Visa chaos and host city threats: how Trump disrupted World Cup plans

In just six months, the United States along with Mexico and Canada will host soccer's flagship tournament.

And the mercurial US president has infuriated his co-host neighbors, threatened to relocate matches, and imposed visa restrictions.

- Travel restrictions -

Hundreds of thousands of overseas fans are expected to flock to the host countries -- in particular the US, which is staging 82 of the tournament's 104 games.

They will arrive in a nation led by a president who has made anti-immigration policies a cornerstone of his second term, which has been marked by widespread and divisive raids and deportations.

And Trump is tightening the screws. After an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members near the White House, killing one of them, he announced plans to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries."

Nineteen countries -- including World Cup participants Haiti and Iran -- have faced US travel restrictions since June, and have now had asylum decisions frozen indefinitely.

Iran briefly said it would boycott Friday's World Cup draw in Washington, in response to the US refusing visas for several members of its delegation, but later rescinded the threat.

- Visa 'vetting' -

While obtaining visas to visit the US can sometimes take weeks or even months, Trump recently unveiled a special fast-track process for people with World Cup tickets.

Football fans following their teams will receive priority for visa appointments.

But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a warning to those hoping to come for the tournament.

"Your ticket is not a visa," Rubio said at the announcement.

"It doesn't guarantee admission to the US. It guarantees you an expedited appointment, you're still going to go through the same vetting."

- Shifting venues -

Trump has repeatedly threatened to move World Cup matches away from several Democratic-run cities for supposed security reasons.

Among those potentially at risk, Boston is scheduled to host seven games, San Francisco and Seattle have six matches apiece, and Los Angeles is the setting for eight.

Moving games would be an organizational nightmare for FIFA, not to mention the fans who have already booked flights and accommodation.

Doing so could also face legal obstacles.

Host city contracts can only be terminated in the event of catastrophic events like natural disasters, war or riots -- although there is more flexibility in terms of rescheduling specific, individual matches.

Adding to the uncertainty, Trump has already deployed National Guard troops to many of the same Democratic-run cities this year over the objections of local and state leaders, saying they are needed to counter crime and left-wing activism.

And raids by immigration agents in cities like Los Angeles, where Trump has vowed to hunt down undocumented migrants, have raised tensions and created a climate of fear, particularly among Latino communities.

Both the deployment of troops and the immigration raids could continue until and throughout the World Cup.

- Tense neighbors -

Trump's foreign policy has been notable for its aggressive treatment of allies and foes alike, and co-hosting the World Cup with the US has not afforded Canada and Mexico any special treatment.

Trump has imposed steep tariffs on certain products from the two neighboring countries.

He has also threatened to annex Canada, and has not ruled out potential US airstrikes in Mexico as part of his crackdown on international drug cartels.

These raised tensions will only deepen the organizational challenges already facing the first ever World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries, and featuring a record 48 teams.

B.Mahmoud--SF-PST