U.S. denies entry to Somali World Cup referee

U.S. immigration authorities barred Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from entering the country, preventing one of Africa’s top soccer officials from training and officiating at the FIFA World Cup.

Customs and Border Protection said Artan arrived Saturday at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul and underwent additional inspection. He was “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” the agency said Monday, without providing further details.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed that Artan “will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.”

“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,” the spokesperson said. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

Artan is listed by FIFA as one of 52 World Cup referees. Al Jazeera reported that he was set to become the first Somali to officiate a World Cup match. He has worked international matches for years, including at the Africa Cup of Nations, and was named male referee of the year last year by the Confederation of African Football.

The reason for the denial remains unclear. Somalia is among 39 countries listed in President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order, which bars or restricts entry by foreign nationals on national security grounds. Somalia faces a near-total restriction on entry into the United States, though the order includes exemptions for World Cup athletes and staff. Immigration officials still retain broad discretion at ports of entry.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Al Jazeera that World Cup participation does not change CBP inspection decisions. “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 said. “CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with US law.”

Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, condemned the decision. He told Agence France-Presse that Artan is “among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,” and said the denial “undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations also criticized the travel restrictions. “Our nation should not ban anyone from our shores simply because of their race or their ethnicity,” Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s deputy director, told Al Jazeera. “That’s especially true of a coach or referee or anyone else coming to participate in the World Cup.”

The United States is cohosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The tournament is set to begin Thursday with a match in Mexico City and will include teams from 48 countries, more than a dozen venues and large numbers of foreign visitors.

The denial comes amid broader concerns about U.S. travel rules affecting the tournament. CBS News reported that some Iranian soccer officials still do not have U.S. visas, citing Iranian state television. Iran’s team also faces strict limits on when it can enter the United States before a match and how long it can remain before returning to its training base in Mexico.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will be involved in World Cup security. White House border czar Tom Homan told CBS News last week that ICE’s “primary focus” will be national security, not immigration enforcement.

“In the process of that, if we find a national security issue and it involves an illegal alien, of course we’re going to take action on that,” Homan said. “But the primary focus is: Keep those events safe, keep this nation safe and keep the spectators and the athletes safe.”