A Somali referee selected for the World Cup was denied entry to the United States over the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, drawing attention to travel and visa questions as the tournament prepares to open this week with the U.S. as the main host alongside Canada and Mexico.
CBP said the referee arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul and was barred from entry after additional inspection, which it described as a routine part of its process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility. The agency said he was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns." CBP added that admissibility is decided case by case, and that officers question travelers and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.
CBP did not name the official. FIFA confirmed he was Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the only Somali among the 52 referees chosen for the tournament, and said he would be unable to train or officiate after being denied entry. The governing body said it is not involved in host-country immigration processes such as visa decisions, that it had been told Artan's status would not change at present, and that a host government ultimately determines who is admitted. Artan, named the Confederation of African Football's best male referee for 2025, has since returned to Istanbul.
Somalia is among the countries covered by a travel ban the administration reinstated last year. The order includes exemptions for athletes, coaches and support staff traveling for major sporting events such as the World Cup, as determined by the Secretary of State. According to Front Office Sports, a FIFA representative had said last week that Artan's visa issues were resolved.
The case is one of several entry questions surrounding the tournament. Iran's team, which qualified for the World Cup, is based in Mexico; under arrangements reported by CBS News and Al Jazeera, its players are to enter the U.S. to play matches and then return, and some staff were not granted U.S. visas.
Reactions varied. A senior adviser in Somalia's youth and sports ministry called Artan one of Africa's most respected referees and said he deserved the football community's support, according to AFP. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said visitors should not be barred over nationality once they clear standard vetting, according to Al Jazeera.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are expected to assist with World Cup security. At a recent briefing, World Cup task force director Andrew Giuliani said the administration wants as many visitors as possible to have a legal pathway to attend, urged people to enter the country legally, and said anyone determined to be a potential threat would not be approved, according to remarks reported by AOL.
The tournament begins June 11 with a match in Mexico and runs through July 19 across 16 host cities in the three countries.
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