World Cup Visa Pressure: New research says the US rejected about 74% of fan visas from Senegal and 61% from Iran, adding to the tournament’s wider travel and security headaches as the 48-team World Cup kicks off across the US, Canada and Mexico. Côte d’Ivoire Football & Diaspora Links: In the US, Côte d’Ivoire’s national team is being hosted as Chester (Pennsylvania) signs a sister-city deal with Kokumbo, aiming for cultural exchange, education, tourism and economic cooperation. Aquaculture Push: Côte d’Ivoire has started a fisheries and aquaculture project targeting 35,000 metric tons of farmed fish output and cutting import dependence (currently up to 80% of domestic supply), with support for 50,000 aquaculture entrepreneurs. Gold Sector Momentum: Reuters reports Côte d’Ivoire gold output is set to rise to 62 tons in 2026 as mines expand, with more projects planned to lift capacity further. Mining Investment Signal: Aurum Resources delivered a maiden ore reserve and pre-feasibility study for its Boundiali Gold Project, targeting first gold in the first half of 2028 and outlining strong economics. Regional Trade Outlook: AfCFTA’s secretary-general projects intra-African trade could reach $250bn in 2026, but warns that transport, logistics and trade finance costs still slow cross-border commerce. Digital & Business Tech: Ivory Coast is rolling out a B2B offline payment protocol via REMA/OS, while Google expands Chrome’s Ask Gemini feature to Côte d’Ivoire and other African markets.