Mount Pleasant Hit by U.S. Visa Denials Ahead of Champions Cup Clash with LA Galaxy

Jamaica Live News Desk– | Mar 11, 2026

Jamaican football club Mount Pleasant FA has suffered a major setback ahead of its historic debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup, after ten of its players were denied visas to travel to the United States for Wednesday’s match against Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.

The St. Ann-based club, which secured its place in the tournament after winning the 2025 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, was scheduled to face LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in California. However, the visa denials have forced the Jamaican champions to call up several academy players to fill the gaps in their squad.

Mount Pleasant Sporting Director Paul Christie expressed disappointment at the situation, saying the team’s ability to compete at the highest level has been severely affected.

“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,” Christie told the Jamaica Observer.

The team is scheduled to depart for the United States on Sunday ahead of the match on March 11. The return leg will be played on March 19 at the National Stadium in Jamaica.

Christie said he believes the team has not been given “fair play,” noting that they have not been afforded the opportunity to field their best starting eleven.

The issue appears linked to the expanded travel restrictions implemented by United States President Donald Trump earlier this year. Under measures that came into force on January 1, Haitian nationals are barred from entering the United States. Mount Pleasant’s squad includes seven Haitian players, raising questions about whether those restrictions played a role in the visa decisions.

While exemptions exist for certain major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, it remains unclear whether similar allowances apply to regional competitions like the Concacaf Champions Cup.

BBC Sport reported that both Concacaf and Mount Pleasant have been contacted for clarification on whether exemptions could be granted for the affected players.

The visa controversy also highlights broader concerns ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Haiti has qualified for the tournament for only the second time in its history and will compete in a group alongside Morocco, Scotland, and Brazil.

Although U.S. authorities have indicated that players and team staff will be granted exemptions for the World Cup, no such guarantees have been extended to supporters. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department stated that while FIFA Pass appointments may provide priority visa interviews for ticket holders, they do not override existing travel restrictions for individuals who are otherwise ineligible.

For Mount Pleasant, the immediate focus remains Wednesday’s clash with LA Galaxy—one that now carries the added challenge of competing without a full-strength squad on one of club football’s biggest stages in the region. ⚽🇯🇲