Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestine Football Association.
Canada grants visas to Palestinian Football Association delegation after initial denials: Reuters
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Canadian immigration officials issued visas for senior members of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) seeking to attend the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, after they were previously denied in mid April, according to Reuters.
The denials, first highlighted by The Guardian on April 16, raised concerns about equitable participation in international football governance shortly before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
The affected delegation included PFA President Jibril Rajoub, the association’s secretary-general, and its head of legal affairs.
The PFA subsequently requested intervention from FIFA to facilitate entry for its representatives.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that visa decisions are assessed on a case-by-case basis. In mid-April statements, the department clarified that while some applications remained under review—including those for a small number of association presidents—most FIFA member delegations already had approved representatives.
A recent update from Reuters said that Canadian authorities ultimately issued the necessary visas to the Palestinian delegation after sustained pressure from political, media, and community sources.
PFA Vice President Susan Shalabi reported that certain members, including those applying on foreign passports, received approvals more readily, while others obtained visas following advocacy efforts.
The visas were issued only after pressure "on the political level, on the social level, on the media level,” Shalabi added.
President Rajoub was expected to arrive later, having missed initial travel with the group.
The PFA’s general secretary and legal counsel Gonzalo Boye, however, had still not received a visa and would not attend.
The episode occurs amid ongoing sensitivities surrounding travel for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has previously assured that all participants and supporters would face no undue barriers across the host nations.
The Palestinian case has nonetheless prompted questions regarding consistency in visa processing for international sports events hosted in Canada.
The FIFA Congress in Vancouver serves as a key pre-tournament gathering for member associations. It addresses governance matters, including reported appeals by the PFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport concerning issues with the ‘Israel’ Football Association. Participation challenges for delegations can affect representation in such forums.
