Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Association, was denied a US visa to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup events held in the United States, despite attending the opening match in Mexico City on June 11, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. He has also been refused entry visas for Canada, which is co-hosting the tournament [4].
The US State Department introduced new restrictions last year on Palestinian passport holders, including officials employed by the Palestinian Authority, which affects Rajoub's visa eligibility [1, 2]. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the organization is working to resolve visa issues but cannot overrule government decisions, stating, "We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces" [1, 2].
Rajoub criticized the US for the visa denials, calling the behavior "a sign of disrespect not only toward FIFA, but also toward the sporting message that unites people and builds bridges between them." He said, "I believe that FIFA regulations... require any country hosting a global event to honor its obligations toward that event by facilitating the entry of everyone connected to it" [3]. He added, "Through this behavior, they are stripping themselves of the moral right to host such a major sporting event" and called the refusal to grant a visa "disrespectful to FIFA and the unifying role of sport" [3].
Rajoub has accused Israel of pressuring the US and Canada to deny his visas, saying "某些圈子不希望我们批评以色列，…以色列施加了压力," which translates to "Some circles do not want us to criticize Israel... Israel has applied pressure," though no direct evidence was provided [4]. US and other sources attribute the visa denials to American restrictions on Palestinian passport holders rather than outside influence [1, 2, 3].
The Palestinian Football Association has called on FIFA to sanction Israel over allowing teams from West Bank settlements to compete in Israel's national league, which it claims violates FIFA's statutes [1, 2, 4]. In May 2026, Rajoub refused to shake hands with the Israel Football Federation head, saying such a gesture would whitewash Israel's actions [1].
Conflict in Gaza has caused widespread damage to sports, with about 80% of facilities destroyed or damaged and at least 565 players killed, according to the Palestinian Football Association [1, 2].
On June 12, 2026, Infantino reiterated FIFA's efforts to resolve the visa problems but acknowledged the limits on its influence over government decisions [1, 2]. Rajoub publicly condemned the US visa denial the following day, June 13, calling it unfair to footballers worldwide [3].
