Jamaican club Mount Pleasant FA will face LA Galaxy in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday despite visa complications that have left the Caribbean side without 10 players.
The team traveled to the United States with a significantly reduced squad after several members were unable to secure visas in time for the match, scheduled to be played at Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
According to officials, seven of the affected players are from Haiti, one of several countries impacted by a U.S. travel ban. The policy bars Haitian nationals from entering the United States, although exemptions exist for certain sporting events such as the upcoming World Cup.
The Jamaican club, which qualified for the regional tournament after winning the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup in 2025, has been forced to rely on academy players to fill out its roster for the match.
“We don’t want to just show up for the game, we want to be able to compete, but we are not being given the opportunity to be at our best,” Mount Pleasant sporting director Paul Christie told the Jamaica Observer.
Regional football governing body CONCACAF said the match would proceed as scheduled, noting that clubs are responsible for submitting visa applications within the timelines set by diplomatic missions.
“Concacaf is aware of the situation and has been in communication with, and providing support to, Mount Pleasant FA regarding the US visa application process for several of its players ahead of the club’s Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 first-leg match against LA Galaxy in Los Angeles,” a Concacaf spokesperson said.
“In accordance with the competition regulations, each participating club may register a roster of up to 35 players and is responsible for submitting visa applications within the timeframe required by the diplomatic missions of the countries to be visited.
“Considering the competition regulations, and that the club had ample time to complete the visa application process following the competition’s official draw in December 2025, the series will proceed as scheduled.”
Mount Pleasant head coach Theodore Whitmore sought to keep the focus on the match despite the setback.
“It’s an important issue. As a coach you would want your whole team to select from,” Whitmore said during a press conference Tuesday. “Nonetheless, we have players who are eager to go out there and put all the negatives behind us and look forward.
“It’s only one thing, and it’s about the game tomorrow.”
The situation has also sparked broader concerns about how U.S. immigration policies could affect international football competitions, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Haiti national football team has already qualified for the tournament and has been drawn in a group with Morocco, Scotland and Brazil. While U.S. authorities have indicated that athletes and team personnel will receive travel exemptions, similar guarantees have not been extended to fans or spectators.
