US denies visa to Palestine football chief for World Cup attendance

The president of the Palestinian Football Association says he was denied a visa to enter the United States for the FIFA World Cup, raising concerns over access restrictions for accredited participants attending one of the world's largest sporting events amid ongoing tensions in West Asia.

Jibril Rajoub said on Saturday that he remains in Mexico City awaiting permission to travel to the US and join other football federation leaders attending the tournament.

Rajoub was present at Thursday's opening match between Mexico and South Africa, but said he has been unable to enter the US despite being accredited for the World Cup.

He is among several individuals connected to the tournament who have reportedly either been denied visas or are still waiting for approval from US authorities.

“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,” Rajoub said.

Although Palestine did not qualify for the World Cup, FIFA traditionally invites the heads of national football associations from around the world to attend the tournament, which the governing body promotes as a celebration of international unity through sport.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously stressed the inclusive nature of the competition.

“Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year. We are working exactly for that,” he said last year.

However, reports of visa difficulties involving participants from several countries have cast a shadow over those commitments. According to media reports, a referee from Somalia and a photographer travelling with Iraq’s national team have also faced entry problems.

Last week, the US denied visas to several Iranian national football team officials and staff ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite its duties as one of the hosts of the global event.

Addressing the issue this week, Infantino acknowledged that FIFA had been working to resolve visa-related challenges, but emphasized that the organization could not override the decisions of sovereign governments.

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The visa dispute comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of US policies toward Palestinians and growing tensions surrounding Israel's war on Gaza, which has deepened divisions across the region and within international sporting bodies.

Last year, Washington introduced additional limitations on Palestinian passport holders, including individuals who had worked for the Palestinian Authority.

Rajoub's case is also likely to renew debate over the long-running dispute between Palestinian football authorities and Israel within FIFA.

Palestinian football officials have repeatedly condemned Israel for violating FIFA regulations by allowing clubs based in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank to compete in the Israeli national league.

The Palestinian Football Association has also called on FIFA to take action against Israel, citing restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players and officials.

The association further said Israel’s genocide in Gaza has devastated the territory’s sporting infrastructure, saying that roughly 80 percent of sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed and that at least 565 players have been killed.

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