The president of the Palestine Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, has announced that he was unable to obtain a visa to enter the United States, despite being officially invited by FIFA to attend events related to the 2026 World Cup.
Rajoub, who attended the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico, said that U.S. authorities denied his visa application, preventing him from participating in World Cup activities taking place on American soil. He argued that the situation raises concerns about the treatment of sports representatives at a competition intended to bring together nations from around the world.
“Sport should serve as a bridge between nations, not as a tool for such restrictions,” Rajoub said, criticizing the decision of the U.S. authorities.
According to international reports, he is not the only sports official who has encountered difficulties entering the United States during the World Cup. Other cases involving visa denials or delays for representatives from various countries have also been reported.
So far, U.S. authorities have not publicly explained the reasons behind the refusal of a visa for the Palestinian football chief.
The case has sparked discussion within the international sports community, particularly because the United States is one of the host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is expected to facilitate the participation of delegations officially invited by FIFA.
