Palestinian football head says US visa has not been granted for World Cup
Jibril Rajoub says he is in Mexico City awaiting permission to enter the United States for World Cup events with other football officials.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian Football Association, says he has not been granted a US visa to attend the FIFA World Cup in the United States, according to The Associated Press. His case adds to a set of visa disputes involving accredited World Cup participants seeking entry to the US.
Rajoub told the AP he was waiting in Mexico City for permission to travel to the United States after attending Thursday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa. He said he did not believe it was fair to deny football officials the ability to attend the tournament.
The Palestinian men’s national team did not qualify for the World Cup. The AP reported that FIFA commonly invites heads of national football associations to the tournament, presenting the event as a global gathering for the sport.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said last year that people would be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the World Cup, according to the AP. This week, Infantino said FIFA had been working on visa problems but could not override decisions made by the US government.
“We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces,” Infantino told reporters on Wednesday, according to the AP.
Visa issues reach other accredited participants
The AP reported that the United States has refused entry to several people connected to the tournament, including a Somali referee and a photographer traveling with Iraq’s team. Rajoub is now among the accredited football figures who have either been denied visas or have not received them.
The US Department of State had no immediate comment on Rajoub’s visa status, according to the AP. The department last year put new limits on Palestinian passport holders, including people who had worked for the Palestinian Authority, the AP reported.
The AP also reported that the US revoked a visa that would have allowed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to the United Nations General Assembly last September.
Dispute sits within broader football tensions
Rajoub and other Palestinian football officials have for years accused Israel of violating football statutes by allowing teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank to play in Israel’s national league, according to the AP. They have urged FIFA to sanction Israel.
The Palestinian Football Association has cited restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players and the destruction of sports infrastructure in Gaza. According to the association, 80 percent of sports facilities in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed and at least 565 players have been killed there.
Last month, Rajoub declined to shake hands with the head of Israel’s football federation after Infantino encouraged the gesture, the AP reported. Rajoub said at the time that such a handshake would not repair the harm and would instead cover up Israel’s actions.
Rajoub also compared the current US visa situation with the 2018 World Cup in Russia, saying Russia did not impose similar entry limits on people invited to that tournament, according to the AP.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.