Rabe’e Ata Juma’a Alqaq, a 24-year-old Jordanian athlete, traveled to Houston last weekend to participate in the Genuine Cup, a soccer tournament for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Alqaq was previously last seen around midnight Sunday into Monday, when he told teammates he was going for a walk on Rice’s campus. He did not return to his team’s living quarters that night and was then declared missing after he missed breakfast Monday morning.
According to Rice Police, Alqaq traveled from Houston to the Chicago area by bus. He did so of his own accord, and “no foul play was suspected,” per a Rice PD statement. The reason for Alqaq’s departure is unknown as of Tuesday afternoon, but Rice Police says Alqaq contacted them after seeing news reports of his missing status.
Rice Police are now in contact with authorities in Illinois, the Jordan Consulate of Texas and Alqaq’s soccer team. Arrangements are being made to bring Alqaq safely back to Houston.
The Genuine Cup began Monday on the Rice University practice soccer fields. The tournament features athletes from 51 different countries and will conclude Saturday.
2026 marks the third year of the Genuine Cup, and the tournament continues to expand in size each year. The inaugural Genuine Cup was held in Houston in 2024. It featured 12 international and domestic club-affiliated teams, then expanded in 2025 and 2026 to now feature more than 1,000 athletes worldwide. The event works to bring visibility and long-term support to neurodiverse young adults and athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.