MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country.
Omar Artan was going to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament, which was announced two months ago. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.
He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. Artan was issued a visa to travel to the U.S. last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it.
Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said Tuesday the referee was denied admittance for “very good reason” but also declined to go into details.
Later Tuesday, a U.S. official said the referee was refused admission due to “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter that is covered by visa privacy laws.