The president of the Palestine Football Association (PFA), Jibril Rajoub, said he is waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 alongside football federation leaders from around the world. He attended the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11, but is among many accredited World Cup attendees who have been denied visas or have not yet received them from the US.
“I do not think it is fair to abuse and deny the right of attendance of all players around the world,” Rajoub, a veteran Palestinian political figure, told the Associated Press.
The Palestinian national team did not qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA typically invites football federation presidents worldwide to the quadrennial event, which is seen as a celebration of global unity. FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated last year: “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year. We are working towards that.”
However, the US has denied entry to delegates from several countries, including a referee from Somalia and a photographer accompanying the Iraqi team. Infantino said this week that FIFA has tried to resolve visa issues but cannot interfere with US government decisions. “We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule governments and police forces,” he told reporters on June 12.
Visa dispute revives longstanding football tensions
The US State Department had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa, but last year imposed new restrictions on holders of Palestinian Authority passports, including anyone who has worked for the Palestinian Authority. In September last year, the US also revoked a visa allowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Rajoub and Palestinian football officials have long argued that Israel violates FIFA statutes by allowing teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank to participate in the Israeli national league. They have pushed for FIFA to sanction Israel, highlighting restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players as well as Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, which has destroyed or damaged 80% of sports facilities and killed at least 565 players there, according to the PFA.
Last month, Rajoub refused to shake hands with the head of the Israel Football Federation at Infantino’s request, saying such a gesture would not heal wounds but would instead blur Israel’s actions. Rajoub also noted that when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, it did not impose similar visa restrictions on those invited to the tournament.
