Three senior officials from the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) have reportedly been denied visas to enter Canada ahead of the upcoming FIFA Congress in Vancouver, raising fresh concerns over access and representation before one of world football’s key annual meetings.
According to reports from The Guardian published today, 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.
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.
PFA hoped to address Israeli club dispute
Palestinian officials had reportedly planned to use the Congress to respond to FIFA’s recent ruling regarding Israeli football clubs competing in settlements located in the occupied West Bank.
The issue was first formally raised by the PFA during the 2024 FIFA Congress, prompting an internal review. FIFA announced last month it would take no disciplinary action, stating that the legal status of the West Bank remains unresolved and highly complex under international law.
The Vancouver meeting was expected to provide PFA president Jibril Rajoub an opportunity to challenge that conclusion publicly, with the possibility of a later appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Wider World Cup travel concerns resurface
The visa refusals have also revived broader concerns over mobility and access ahead of the expanded 48-team World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Some qualified or likely participating nations have already faced various travel restrictions linked to U.S. immigration policy, creating uncertainty for delegations and supporters ahead of the tournament.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously insisted that all teams, official fans would be welcomed across the three host countries for the competition, which has now officially proven to be false.
Canada declines comment on individual applications
A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reportedly declined to comment on the specific cases while reiterating that all applications are assessed individually according to eligibility and admissibility requirements under Canadian law.
As of now, neither FIFA nor Canadian authorities has publicly confirmed any reversal of the visa decisions.
Read also: FIFA Faces Backlash From Fans, Host Cities as 2026 World Cup Feels Out of Reach
