Palestinian football chief says US denied him visa to attend World Cup

The head of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, has stated he cannot travel to the United States with other federation heads attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup because he has not been issued a visa. Rajoub went to the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday. However, he is among several accredited World Cup attendees who have been denied visas or are still waiting for them from the US.

“I don’t believe that it’s fair to use or to abuse and deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” the veteran Palestinian political figure said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA typically invites football association heads from around the world to the quadrennial event, which it presents as a celebration of global unity. “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year. We are working exactly for that,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said last year.

The United States, however, has refused entry to delegates from several countries, including a referee from Somalia and a photographer traveling with Iraq’s team. Infantino said this week that FIFA had been trying to resolve visa issues but cannot overrule the US government. “We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

The US State Department had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa, but last year implemented new restrictions on Palestinian passport holders, including anyone employed by the Palestinian Authority. It revoked a visa allowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to the United Nations General Assembly last September.

Rajoub and other Palestinian football officials have long argued that Israel violates statutes by allowing teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank to play in Israel’s national league. They have pushed FIFA to sanction Israel, also decrying restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players and how the war in the Gaza Strip has damaged or destroyed 80% of sports facilities and killed at least 565 players there, according to the association.

Last month, Rajoub refused to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation at Infantino’s request because he said the gesture would not heal wounds but rather whitewash Israel’s actions. Rajoub pointed out that when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, it did not implement comparable visa restrictions for those invited to the tournament.