Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published Friday, June 12, 2026, 7:14 p.m. / Updated Friday, June 12, 2026, 7:19 p.m.
Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestine Football Federation, attended the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, Mexico – South Africa, score 2-0, played at the Azteca Stadium in Ciudad de Mexico.
After this game, together with other federation presidents, he wanted to go to the United States to participate in other matches of the final tournament. Despite the fact that he received party credentials from the US territory, he also did not receive a visa to enter the US and addressed the media.
Jibril Rajoub: “It seems to me an abuse”
“I don't think it's fair to deny people everywhere the right to go to the World Cup. It seems like an abuse,” Jibril Rajoub said, according to The Independent.
Palestine is not at the World Cup, but FIFA used to extend invitations to all the presidents of the world's federations. There has been no reaction from the United States yet
US visa issue: best African referee sent home, fans from Iran and Haiti completely banned
Ahead of the start of the 2026 World Cup, entry visas to the US have generated several controversial situations
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The Iranian national team can only enter the US on the day of the final tournament match and must leave the country on the same day. They will make the trip from Mexico. The footballers were granted visas, but 15 staff members, including the President of the Iranian Federation, were denied visas. And their fans are banned from the final tournament – their tickets were withdrawn 2 days before the start of the final tournament.
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Haitian supporters are not allowed in the US to support their national team. It will also be almost impossible for supporters from Senegal and Ivory Coast to attend the matches as the issuance of tourist visas for citizens of these countries has largely been suspended.
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Omar Abdulkadir Artan (34), the best African referee of Somali origin, was not allowed to enter the US, although he had been selected by FIFA. The “Central” landed in Miami, but was denied entry and sent back to Istanbul, where it had taken off to the United States of America. Eventually, the referee returned to Mogadishu and was received as a hero by the people.
