With the ongoing international break, NWSL action is currently on hold. The majority of players across all 14 teams have been called up by their respective national sides. Among them, the Portland Thorns were compelled to send nearly an entire squad—a whopping 11 players—for international duty. In fact, the number could have been 12, but it wasn’t, as the club’s star forward and Venezuelan international, Deyna Castellanos, wasn’t allowed to travel!

Why, you ask? Well, that’s because while the sporting aspects appear pitch-perfect, global political tensions continue to spiral downward—particularly in the United States. Alleged unease potentially stems from the immigration policies introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency, which comprised more rigid enforcement against illegal immigration, tighter scrutiny of international student visas, and the possibility of travel bans for certain nations.

And guess who’s the one getting affected by all of this? Well, majorly the foreign players, who are currently starring in the NWSL. Deyna Castellanos is the latest player to have not been allowed to leave the US, fearing potential difficulties when attempting to return. Amid the crisis, the forward was able to share her views on the situation. “I don’t know when I’ll be safe to travel,” said the 25-year-old via her club’s communication.

Calling the Venezuelan political situation “very tricky,” Castellanos noted that leaving the States temporarily to merely attend some international friendlies could have jeopardized her domestic season. “The uncertainty of like, ‘yeah, I can go home, but not knowing if I can come back’ is something that is very scary, not just for me but players across the league,” said the forward. Expressing her sadness about not being able to reunite with her national team, Castellanos eventually terms staying back in the US to be able to play the “right decision.”

Notably, it was back in January when the executive order saw Trump ask his Cabinet to produce a report within 60 days identifying countries with insufficient security protocols—ones that could justify partially or fully suspending travel to the U.S. As of last month, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed that the review was still in progress. In fact, no official list has yet been released.

Though it’s unclear whether Venezuela is on that list, their national soccer federation, along with Portland Thorns eventually decided to keep Deyna Castellanos in the States. In fact, she isn’t alone in this; with other revered names also being enforced with the same procedure!

More NWSL names were forced to stay back in the United States

Earlier, the Zambian women’s national team announced that they hadn’t called up its four NWSL-based players. The list includes Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Prisca Chilufya, and Grace Chanda, along with Bay FC sensation Racheal Kundananji. All four have missed the chance to represent their side in the Yongchuan International Tournament that was played in China last week. Though the Zambian FA mentioned “travel measures” as a reason for their absence from the April roster, it was a subtle reason for all the latest changes that Donald Trump’s administration agreed on.

“After working through the process instigated by recently introduced measures it was decided that it is in the best interest of our players to skip this assignment,” said FAZ general secretary Reuben Kamanga, as compiled by ESPN. However, the Zambian chief assured that all the players will definitely be available for the impending camps, just like they were for the last time to face Malawi.

Meanwhile, an NWSL spokesperson, speaking on behalf of all soccer bodies—including FIFA, the NWSLPA, and the federal government—acknowledged the unique pressures international athletes are facing amid the current geopolitical climate, and vowed to “advocate for long-term solutions that protect their ability to compete on both domestic and international stages.”

Let’s hope the concerned authorities come up with a solution soon—because if not, the long-term outlook doesn’t look promising. Take, for instance, the upcoming major events the U.S. is set to host: the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the LA Olympics. If the current situation persists, it might be time to hit the panic button. For now, all we can do is wait and see how things unfold.