LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Mount Pleasant’s Champions Cup clash with Los Angeles Galaxy will go ahead as planned despite a visa controversy which has seen 10 players from the Caribbean country fail to secure entry to the United States, Concacaf said Tuesday.

Mount Pleasant will play MLS giants Galaxy in Los Angeles in the last 16 on Wednesday after arriving in the United States with a vastly depleted squad after their first choice roster was decimated by visa problems.

Seven members of the Mount Pleasant squad are from Haiti — one of 19 countries which are the subject of a blanket ban on entry to the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

While the controversy has raised concerns over how US immigration policies might affect this year’s World Cup, Concacaf , the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, appeared to suggest Mount Pleasant were at fault for their situation heading into Wednesday’s game.

“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 a statement.

“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 coach Theodore Whitmore attempted to put the controversy behind him as he looked ahead to Wednesday’s game.

“It’s an important issue. As a coach you would want your whole team to select from,” Whitmore said at a press conference on 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.”