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Join on Telegram Rabat – Morocco’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been hit by an unexpected and deeply troubling setback after Zakaria El Ouahdi was unable to travel with the national team delegation to the United States due to visa complications.
A source familiar with the dossier, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Morocco World News that El Ouahdi’s absence from the Atlas Lions’ delegation was linked to difficulties in obtaining a US visa.
According to another Moroccan outlet, Elbotola, the player’s visa request was reportedly rejected twice, delaying his ability to join his teammates in the United States as Morocco enters the final stage of its World Cup preparations.
The source told MWN that “the situation is now being handled through Casablanca after earlier difficulties with the visa process in Belgium,” where El Ouahdi is based professionally.
For Morocco, the case is not a minor administrative detail. It concerns a senior international player preparing to represent his country at the biggest football tournament in the world.
It also comes at a time when thousands of Moroccan fans, journalists, and football professionals are increasingly anxious about US visa access ahead of the tournament.
The source told MWN that there are concerns that the issue may have been influenced by factors unrelated to the player’s professional status, including alleged scrutiny linked to his family background and appearance.
The source specifically suggested that the player’s father’s appearance, including his “beard, may have raised questions during the process”
MWN has not been able to independently verify whether this factor directly influenced the visa decision.
However, even the possibility that appearance, religion, or family background could play a role in such a case is deeply alarming.
The United States presents itself as a country built on constitutional freedoms, including freedom of religion, expression, and individual appearance.
That a footballer can face delays or suspicion because of how a family member looks raises serious questions about how these principles are applied in practice, especially toward people from Muslim-majority countries.
This case is bigger than one player
El Ouahdi’s case also appears not to be isolated.
The same source said, a journalist working for a Moroccan state-owned media outlet also faced major hurdles before securing a US visa.
According to the source, “the journalist had previously traveled to Turkey for tourism and to Egypt to cover a CAF Champions League match involving Pyramids FC.”
These trips reportedly prompted additional questioning, forcing the journalist to explain why he had visited those countries before eventually receiving the visa.
The source also claimed that another Moroccan player, a goalkeeper whose name the source declined to reveal, has faced similar difficulties.
Taken together, these cases point to a broader pattern of suspicion that extends beyond individual paperwork.
They raise concerns over whether Moroccan applicants are being assessed on clear, fair, and transparent criteria, or whether nationality, religion, travel history, and appearance are becoming silent barriers.
This is particularly serious because the United States is not hosting an ordinary international event. It is co-hosting the World Cup, a tournament FIFA repeatedly markets as a celebration of unity, openness, and football for all.
Yet the reality facing some Moroccans appears very different.
The World Cup contradiction
The timing of El Ouahdi’s case is especially striking because it comes amid wider concern over US visa policy toward Morocco.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Morocco. The measure applies to immigrant visas rather than tourist or business visas, but it still deepened the general feeling of uncertainty among Moroccans hoping to travel to the US.
The administration said the measure targets applicants who could become a “public charge” and rely on government benefits.
But critics argue that such policies create a climate of suspicion around entire nationalities instead of judging people as individuals.
Last December, Washington announced a sharp reduction in visa wait times for Moroccans, from 10 months to two, in an apparent effort to facilitate fan travel.
It also said it would deploy additional consular staff to Casablanca to manage rising demand linked to the tournament.
But for many Moroccans, those promises now feel increasingly fragile.
If even players, journalists, and football professionals can face unclear delays and repeated hurdles, ordinary supporters may reasonably wonder whether they will be able to attend the tournament they are already emotionally and financially preparing for.
A wider pattern of anxiety
The concerns go beyond football.
Moroccan Diversity Visa selectees have also complained about unexplained delays in scheduling interviews at the US Consulate in Casablanca.
Many say they have completed the required steps but remain stuck in uncertainty while time continues to run out.
A US State Department spokesperson previously told MWN that the Trump administration is protecting national security and public safety through the visa process.
The department also said that US missions schedule appointments in line with capacity and that applicants should continue checking their case status.
But for those waiting, this explanation does little to ease the sense of helplessness.
