Reports confirm that three officials from the Palestinian Football Association were prevented from entering Canada after their visa applications were rejected, ahead of an anticipated meeting of FIFA member associations as part of preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA Congress meeting is scheduled to be held in Vancouver on April 30, serving as an unofficial launch for the final preparations for the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the participation of 48 teams.

The Palestinian delegation planned to use the meeting to present a file concerning the participation of Zionist clubs in occupied areas of the West Bank, in addition to responding to a previous FIFA report that concluded no actions would be taken on this matter.

According to sources, the head of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, was among those denied a visa, while Canadian authorities stated that visa decisions are made individually according to immigration and eligibility criteria, at a time when concerns are growing about the freedom of movement for some delegations during preparations for the upcoming World Cup.