Djibril Rajoub is in Mexico to participate in the 2026 World Cup and is awaiting a US visa.
Published June 12, 2026
The president of the Palestinian Football Association said he and other federation presidents were waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States to participate in the FIFA World Cup.
Djibril Rajoub played in Mexico’s opening game against South Africa on Thursday, joining several players eligible for the World Cup who have been denied visas or have not yet received one from the United States.
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“I don’t think it’s fair to take advantage of, abuse or deny every soccer player in the world the right to participate,” the veteran Palestinian politician told The Associated Press.
Although the Palestinian team failed to qualify for the World Cup, FIFA typically invites the heads of soccer associations around the world to attend the event every four years, marking it as a celebration of global unity.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last year: “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States at next year’s FIFA World Cup. We are working to do exactly that.”
But the United States denied entry to a number of delegations from countries, including a referee from Somalia and a photographer who accompanied the Iraqi team.
Infantino said this week that FIFA had been trying to resolve the visa issue but had been unable to overrule the US government.
“We need to respect that we are not kings of the world who can rule the government and the police,” he told reporters Wednesday.
The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa, but last year introduced new restrictions for Palestinian passport holders, including those employed by the Palestinian Authority.
In September last year, it canceled the visa that allowed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Rajoub and other Palestinian soccer officials have long argued that it is against the law for Israel to allow teams from occupied West Bank settlements to play in Israeli leagues.
According to the association, they called on FIFA to impose sanctions on Israel, highlighting movement restrictions for Palestinian players and Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, which has damaged or destroyed 80% of sports facilities and killed at least 565 players.
Last month, Rajoub refused to shake hands with the head of the Israel Football Federation on Infantino’s orders, saying it would not heal wounds but instead whitewash Israel’s actions.
Rajoub pointed out that when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, it did not have comparable visa restrictions in place for people invited to the tournament.
