A visa odyssey for Palestinian football leadership
Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Association, arrived in Mexico City with a single purpose: to join the delegation of football officials heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Instead, he remains in a holding pattern, his travel plans stalled by a U.S. visa that has yet to be granted.
The delay is not isolated. Palestinian passport holders have faced new U.S. restrictions imposed last year, a policy that has left several delegates from different nations waiting for approval or outright denied entry. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has publicly assured that everyone will be welcome in the three host nations — Canada, Mexico, and the United States — but the reality on the ground remains uneven.
Rajoub has been vocal about what he sees as Israeli interference in football governance. He argues that Israel’s allowance of settlement teams to compete in its national league, coupled with severe movement restrictions on Palestinian players, breaches FIFA statutes. His criticism extends to a refusal to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation, a gesture he says would merely whitewash ongoing violations.
The Palestinian official also pointed to a broader pattern of geopolitical double standards, recalling how Russia faced no comparable visa hurdles when it hosted the 2018 World Cup. His remarks underscore a growing frustration among Palestinian sports leaders who feel that diplomatic barriers are undermining the spirit of international competition.
Beyond the immediate visa issue, Rajoub and his colleagues are pushing for broader sanctions against Israel, hoping that FIFA’s influence can compel a change in the conditions that limit Palestinian athletes’ freedom of movement. The outcome of these efforts could shape not only the participation of Palestinian teams but also the broader discourse on how sports bodies navigate entrenched political conflicts.