Reason for denied entry
US government blames rejected World Cup referee
Updated June 10, 2026 – 10:56 amReading time: 2 minutes
Omar Artan, Africa’s top referee in 2025, is turned away by US border officials in Miami. The US government justifies this by accusing the referees.
The US border agency CBP has denied Somali referee Omar Artan entry into Miami. An anonymous US government representative now told CNN the reason: During the check at the airport, “connections to suspected members of terrorist organizations” were found. Artan was scheduled to be a referee for the 2026 World Cup.
The government representative did not provide further details. During the interview, US border officials asked Artan about his trip and the political situation in Somalia. The focus was on the Islamist terrorist group Al-Shabaab. It is active in parts of the country and has been fighting against the Somali government for years.
- World Cup referee is not allowed to enter: These words are now flying around Infantino’s ears
- Referee turmoil before the start of the World Cup: DFB boss Völler reacts
Somalia is one of the 39 countries whose nationals are affected by the stricter entry regulations under President Donald Trump. Citizens of these countries are subject to additional checks upon entry.
Embed
Artan tried to enter Miami on Saturday. His journey had started in Nairobi, where he waited for the necessary travel documents. He then flew to Miami via Istanbul to take part in a preparatory meeting of FIFA referees.
He told the New York Times that he was “very, very disappointed.” He is “just a referee” who is trying to fulfill the biggest dream of his life by taking part in the World Cup. He didn’t make any formal mistakes: “I had the right papers and everything else. I had the right visa.”
World Cup referees train together in Miami
The African Football Confederation had selected Artan as one of seven African referees for this year’s World Cup. He would have been the first Somali to referee a World Cup. In 2025 he was named Africa’s best male referee.
Since the World Cup referees train and prepare together in Miami, Artan’s deployment to the other host countries Mexico and Canada is currently ruled out.
The Somali Ministry of Youth and Sports criticized the decision. Artan was refused entry “without a valid reason”. The Somali government immediately contacted the US authorities and FIFA, but has not yet found a solution. Fifa stated: “Fifa is not involved in the host country’s immigration procedures, including the decision on visa applications.” As with previous tournaments, the host country has the ultimate right to decide on visa allocation.