Canada denies visas to Palestinian football officials for FIFA congress

OTTAWA, April 19 (YPA) – Canadian authorities have denied entry visas to Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestine Football Association (PFA) and two other senior officials ahead of the annual FIFA Congress.

According to reports from The Guardian published on Saturday, the three rejected applications concern senior PFA representatives, including president Jibril Rajoub, the association’s general secretary and its head of legal affairs. The Palestinian federation has since asked FIFA to intervene with Canadian immigration authorities.

This comes amid concerns about whether some delegations will be able to take part in the 2026 World Cup, especially given US travel restrictions. Teams that have qualified—such as Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Senegal—could encounter obstacles that might affect their participation.

The 76th FIFA Congress is scheduled to take place in Vancouver on April 30 and is considered the unofficial launch event ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on June 11 in Mexico City. Delegates from all 211 FIFA member associations are expected to attend the gathering.

@E.Y.M