The first world cross-country championships held in the United States in more than 30 years will be without two of the sport’s dominant teams.

Ethiopia will not enter full men’s and women’s U20 teams Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla., because athletes were unable to obtain visas, according to LetsRun.com.

Ethiopia’s U20 men’s team has medaled in every world championship since its first entry in 1982, per LetsRun.com. The country’s U20 women’s team has won the last five championships as part of a 27-race medal streak.

Four runners are required for a team score, and a team can enter up to six. One Ethiopian U20 male had his visa approved and is registered to race; Ethiopia’s women’s team has three U20 entrants.

LetsRun.com reported Amensisa Kebede, the Ethiopian Athletics Federation’s general secretary, said four of the country’s senior runners also were denied visas but that using substitutes who already had the necessary paperwork will allow the country to field full senior teams.

Kebede told LetsRun.com the federation applied for visas at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa on Dec. 12. Of the initial 34 visa requests, 23 were rejected, and athletes who were denied on the first try were turned down again after another request, Dec. 30.

Touchdown in Tallahassee ☀️

It’s almost time for the #WorldCrossCountry Championships 🌴

Here’s all the info you need to know including where to watch all the action live 👉 https://t.co/lyZgVOyNvn pic.twitter.com/zbm54IUFvu

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 8, 2026

Kebede said the federation did not receive an explanation for the rejections.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that other countries besides Ethiopia experienced disruptions over the visa process for Saturday’s event.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a mid-December media call that he was aware of visa issues for Saturday’s event. “It’s obviously very important that if you have a World Cross Country Championships, you have Ethiopia there,” Coe said.

In June, the Senegal women’s basketball team canceled a 10-day training camp in the U.S. after the U.S. rejected visas for five players, six staff members and a ministerial delegation.

Other marquee international events are scheduled to take place in the United States this year and would appear also to be susceptible to visa issues. Sites for the FIFA World Cup, which begins in June, include 11 U.S. cities. The world U20 track and field championships are scheduled for August in Eugene, Ore. Looking further ahead, the 2028 Summer Olympics are scheduled for Los Angeles.