MIAMI — A Somali referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was denied entry into the United States over the weekend “due to vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday.
The referee arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and “underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” a CBP spokesperson said in a statement.
The referee was “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” the spokesperson said, without going into further detail.
Somalia is included in the Trump administration’s travel ban, which places restrictions on several countries.
The CBP spokesperson did not publicly identify the referee. FIFA confirmed the match official was Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the only Somali referee selected for the 2026 World Cup.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan during a match at the Grand Stadium in Marrakech on Dec. 31, 2025.
Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP via Getty Images
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” FIFA said in a statement on Monday. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
FIFA previously announced that 52 referees, as well as 88 assistant referees, were selected for the global soccer tournament.
The CBP spokesperson said all travelers — including athletes, coaches and staff — are subject to inspection and vetting.
“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the spokesperson added.
The World Cup kicks off Thursday and is being hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
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