USA Denies Entry to Somali World Cup Referee

Omar Artan, slated to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, has been denied entry into the United States. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated that Artan was refused entry "due to concerns during the security review." While the CBP did not name Artan, he is the sole World Cup referee from Somalia.

Somalia is currently on a U.S. travel ban list, and former President Donald Trump has previously made disparaging remarks about people from Somalia. The CBP provided no further details regarding the specific security concerns. Artan reportedly arrived in Miami from Istanbul on Saturday with a valid U.S. visa, according to Ciise Aden Abshir of the Somali Ministry of Sports.

"Denying him entry into the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches not only harms him personally but also undermines football's commitment to fairness, performance, and the spirit of fair play," Abshir stated. Artan, 34, was among the 52 referees selected by FIFA for the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

FIFA acknowledged the situation in a statement, noting that they are "not involved in the host country's immigration procedures, including decisions on visa applications." The organization confirmed they were informed that Artan's status would not change. The World Cup is set to begin on Thursday with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, officiated by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio.