Scotland are back at the World Cup, but some of the Tartan Army can't get in

Scotland reached their first World Cup since 1998. Days before kickoff, dozens of fans found their approved US travel permits revoked with no explanation, after spending thousands on the trip. The team, though, travelled fine.

Scotland are at a World Cup for the first time since 1998. The achievement is real, and so is the problem now facing their supporters: some of the Tartan Army cannot get into the United States.

The trouble is the ESTA, the permit that lets UK citizens travel to the US without a visa. Several fans who already held approval saw their status flip to "travel not authorised", often with no reason given, as reported by Yahoo News. Scott Braid from Kirkcaldy and Kenny Smith from Inverness are among those affected, and both say they were offered no explanation.

The cost is heavy. Many had spent thousands of pounds on non-refundable flights, accommodation and match tickets months in advance. Reports link the revocations to tighter US entry checks, including a plan to screen travellers' social media.

The players had an easier trip. Steve Clarke's 26-man squad, captained by Andy Robertson, reached their US training base without the entry problems hitting their fans, as ESPN's squad guide laid out.

Scotland sit in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, the same Brazil and Morocco they faced 28 years ago. In Kenyan time, they play Haiti on 14 June at 04:00 EAT in Boston, Morocco on 20 June at 01:00 EAT, and Brazil on 25 June at 01:00 EAT in Miami.

For Kenyan fans watching from home, the football is the easy part. Getting into the host country, as Scotland's supporters and others have found, is becoming one of the stories of this World Cup.