Palestinian football chief says US denied him visa to attend World Cup
Jibril Rajoub attended opening match in Mexico but becomes latest football official hit by US visa issues, he saysThe head of the Palestinian Football Association has said he is unable to travel to the US with other federation heads attending the 2026 Fifa World Cup because he has not been issued a visa.
Jibril Rajoub went to the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday. But he is among several people accredited to attend the World Cup who have been denied visas or have yet to receive 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.
Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said last year: “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the Fifa World Cup next year. We are working exactly for that.”
The US, however, has refused entry to delegates from several countries, including a referee from Somalia and a photographer travelling with Iraq’s team.
The US state department had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa, but last year it implemented new restrictions on Palestinian passport holders, including on anyone who had been employed by the Palestinian Authority.
It revoked a visa to allow Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to travel to the UN general assembly last September.