At the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, the president of the Palestinian Football Federation reiterated his call for the sanctioning of Israel by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Jibril Rajoub emphasized his stance by refusing to shake hands with the Israel Football Association vice-president, Basim Sheikh Suliman, on stage in front of numerous international soccer representatives at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Rajoub justified his actions by labeling the Israeli government as fascist and racist, stating that he could not shake hands with someone representing such a regime. He expressed his belief that the Israeli representative was not fit to be a FIFA partner addressing the audience.
During the congress, FIFA President Gianni Infantino attempted to mediate the situation, but Rajoub was seen rejecting his efforts. Infantino later downplayed the incident, highlighting the complexities involved and emphasizing their collective work for the benefit of children worldwide.
The FIFA Congress, attended by the 211 member associations of soccer’s global governing body, serves as a prelude to the upcoming 2026 men’s World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The tension between the Palestinian and Israeli delegates stood out as a significant moment during an otherwise harmonious meeting.
Notably, all FIFA members were acknowledged in a roll call, with Iran being the only country marked as “absent” due to an incident involving the Iranian Football Federation president and his delegation being denied entry despite having valid visas.
Infantino reassured that Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup is secure, despite current political tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The congress also addressed the positive financial outlook, projecting record revenue for upcoming FIFA cycles, with Infantino declaring his intention to run for president again in the next election in 2027.
