Somali referee denied entry to U.S. ahead of World Cup

A Somali referee who is due to officiate at the World Cup has been denied entry to the U.S. after “vetting concerns” emerged upon his arrival in Florida over the weekend.

Omar Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was barred from entering the country following a “routine” inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed in a statement to The Athletic.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the year, is one of 52 referees handpicked by world governing body and World Cup-organiser FIFA for the tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico this summer.

He was due to be the first official from his country to officiate at a World Cup.

In a statement, CBP did not give a specific reason for denying entry to Artan but Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.

A CBP spokesperson said: “On June 6, a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul International Airport. During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.

“Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.

“All travelers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP 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. CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”

On announcing its list of World Cup officials in April, FIFA said it had conducted a “meticulous and comprehensive selection process spanning over three years”. At the time, FIFA said all the tournament officials were due to arrive in Miami on May 31.

An official in the Somali national football league championships, Artan became a FIFA referee in 2018 and has officiated at the African Cup of Nations.

FIFA has been approached for comment.