The president of the Palestinian Football Federation has restated his calls for Israel to be sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association during the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
Jibril Rajoub made the plea after refusing to shake hands with Israel Football Association vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman on stage in front of hundreds of international soccer representatives at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
“Could I shake hands with someone representing a fascist, racist government and defending even the bullies of this government? I don’t think I have to,” said Rajoub at the conclusion of the congress.
“Go to principles. I think and believe that the guy who spoke on behalf of Israel is not qualified to be a [FIFA] partner facing the audience,” he said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was caught in an awkward moment trying to broker the handshake after both men had addressed the congress. Rajoub was seen rebuking Infantino.
Afterward, Infantino tried to downplay the moment.
“These are of course, as we know, very complex matters,” he said. “We work together for the children of the world”
(Karin Larsen/CBC)
The FIFA Congress brings together the 211 member associations of soccer’s global governing body. The event is seen as a lead-in to this summer’s 2026 men’s World Cup being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, including seven games in Vancouver.
The incident between the Palestinian and Israeli delegates was the most significant note of tension in an otherwise congenial meeting.
All 211 FIFA members were name-checked in a roll call, with only Iran being noted as “absent” after the Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj and his delegation were turned away on landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Tuesday, despite holding valid visas for the congress.
Taj is a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the regime’s military and security force, which Canada listed as a terrorist entity in 2024.
Iran is one of the 48 teams that qualified for this summer’s World Cup and is scheduled to play group stage matches in Inglewood, Calif., and Seattle, despite the U.S. and Iran currently being at war.
Infantino reiterated his confidence that Iran’s participation is not in jeopardy.
“Of course Iran will be participating at FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course Iran will play in the United States of America,” he said.
East Vancouver native Victor Montagliani is vice president of FIFA and president of CONCACAF. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)
The congress was opened by East Vancouver native Victor Montagliani, a major power broker in international soccer as he is the vice-president of FIFA and president of the CONCACAF region, which stands for Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.
Montagliani was president of B.C. Soccer and then Soccer Canada before moving into the international positions.
He has publicly claimed responsibility for bringing the host nations together for the 2026 World Cup bid, the first time the tournament will be played across three countries.
The broadened footprint will accommodate an expanded tournament with 48 teams, up from 32 four years ago, and a schedule of 104 games, up from 64.
More countries and more games mean more content to sell to broadcasters and advertisers. As a result, the 2026 World Cup is being heralded as the most valuable sporting event in history, expected to generate revenue of $11 billion US or more.
The windfall was part of the sunny financial position presented at the congress, projecting a historic budget for FIFA’s 2027 to 2030 cycle of $14 billion.
“Mark my words, we will do much better than that,” Infantino told members.
Infantino closed the meeting by announcing his intent to stand again for president at the next FIFA election in 2027.