Jocelin Ta Bi Misses Sunderland Preseason Tour Due to US Visa Issues

Jocelin Ta Bi, who transferred from Hapoel Petah Tikva to Sunderland in January 2026, has faced setbacks since his move to the English club. Shortly after joining Sunderland, Ta Bi suffered an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Although he was included in the squad for the final four matches, he did not play.

Ta Bi recently returned to fitness and participated in Sunderland's first preseason match against York City, playing 46 minutes. However, he was unable to join the team for their training camp in the United States due to visa complications. Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris confirmed that Ta Bi's visa application was rejected last week, and despite the club's appeal, they do not expect the situation to be resolved in time for the US tour.

Sunderland has had a positive preseason start with victories over Liverpool (4-2), Leeds (1-0), and a recent 1-0 win against Wrexham in the US. Ta Bi now hopes to have a stable season and establish himself in the Premier League once the visa issues are resolved.