Amputee football: Liberia loses $100,000
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Liberian Investigator
Liberia's national amputee football team withdrew from the 2026 World Cup in Mexico after its delegation failed to obtain the required Spanish airport transit visas. Liberia's Ministry of Youth and Sports says $100,000 was lost on non-refundable air tickets, out of more than $200,000 committed, according to The Liberian Investigator.
Liberia lost about $100,000 on non-refundable air tickets after withdrawing from the 2026 Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico. The Ministry of Youth and Sports says the government had committed more than $200,000 to support the national team's participation, according to The Liberian Investigator.
The Lone Star Amputees, who were due to take part in the global competition for the second consecutive time, scheduled for 13 to 22 November in San Juan de los Lagos, were unable to travel because they lacked Spanish airport transit visas. The players, however, had the visas required to enter Mexico, according to The Liberian Investigator.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports attributes the visa problem to a late application by the Amputee Football Federation of Liberia. Holders of Liberian passports must obtain an airport transit visa for certain connections in Spain, including when they remain in the international transit area, according to The Liberian Investigator.
The Spanish transit visa allows travellers to remain in the airport's international area while waiting for a connecting flight, but does not authorise entry into Spanish territory. Applications generally require advance preparation, with processing potentially taking about 15 days or longer depending on the case and the workload of consular authorities, according to The Liberian Investigator.
