Palestinian football chief stranded in Mexico City as US visa for World Cup remains denied

Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), is stranded in Mexico City after being denied a US visa despite holding full FIFA accreditation for the 2026 World Cup. Rajoub attended the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday but cannot cross into the United States, where the majority of the competition is being held.

“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 told The Associated Press, expressing his frustration at the situation.

Rajoub is not alone. A referee from Somalia and a photographer travelling with Iraq’s team are among other international football figures who have been refused US entry or are still awaiting visa approval. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who declared last year that “everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States,” acknowledged this week that the governing body had tried to resolve the visa disputes but could not override 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.

The US State Department has not commented on Rajoub’s specific case. Last year it introduced new restrictions on Palestinian passport holders, particularly those employed by the Palestinian Authority, and revoked a visa for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Although Palestine did not qualify for the World Cup, FIFA traditionally invites the heads of all member associations to the tournament as a gesture of global unity — making Rajoub’s exclusion a pointed diplomatic flashpoint.

The episode adds to existing tensions surrounding Rajoub’s presence at the tournament. Last month he refused to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation at Infantino’s request, saying the gesture would not heal wounds but instead “whitewash Israel’s actions.” Rajoub and other Palestinian officials have long urged FIFA to sanction Israel over restrictions on Palestinian players’ movement and the destruction of sports infrastructure in Gaza, where the PFA says 80 per cent of facilities have been destroyed and at least 565 players killed.

Rajoub also drew a comparison with the 2018 World Cup in Russia, noting that Moscow imposed no comparable visa restrictions on accredited guests.