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

The 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. 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. deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” the veteran Palestinian political figure said.

The Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup. Fifa typically invites the heads of football associations from around the world to the event held every four years, which it frames as a celebration of global unity.

Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said last year: “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico. 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. a photographer travelling with Iraq’s team.

Infantino said this week that Fifa had been trying to resolve visa issues but could not overrule the US government. “We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments. police forces,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

The US state department had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa,. 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.

Rajoub. 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 impose sanctions on Israel, also decrying restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players. how 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 behest because he said the gesture would not heal wounds. instead whitewash Israel’s actions.

Rajoub pointed out that when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup. it did not implement comparable visa restrictions for people who were invited to the tournament.