The report says Koulibaly’s own family faced a difficult bureaucratic process before being able to watch him play, while many Senegalese supporters have been unable to travel at all.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha is also said to have felt the absence personally. His mother reportedly missed the team’s match with Spain because of visa problems, leaving the goalkeeper visibly emotional after the game.
Senegal are not alone. The report says supporters connected to Ivory Coast, Iran and Haiti have faced similar barriers, turning a global celebration into a more complicated experience for some of the teams involved.
For players, the issue is not simply about an empty section of seats. It is about parents, children and friends missing the rarest moments of their careers.
Away from those restrictions, the tournament’s public mood in several American cities has been strikingly different.
Those scenes reflect the World Cup at its best: unfamiliar communities meeting through football, sharing songs, shirts and late-night conversations.
The contrast is uncomfortable. A city can welcome visiting supporters in spirit while visa rules prevent many of them from entering the country.
Koulibaly’s words avoid a political argument, but they still carry a clear message. Football’s universal appeal depends on people being able to experience it together.
As the tournament moves through its next fixtures, the story to watch will extend beyond results and progression. It will also be whether families and supporters can finally reach the stadiums where the world’s game is meant to bring everyone together.