A World Cup referee from Somalia was denied entry into the United States days before the tournament is set to begin, U.S. border officials said on Monday, and will not participate.
The referee, Omar Artan, was one of 52 referees selected for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America. He is one of just seven African referees to be chosen for the tournament, and was named referee of the year in 2025 by the Confederation for African Football, which governs soccer in Africa.
Mr. Artan flew to Miami International Airport on Saturday, five days before the first game of the tournament on Thursday, but was prevented from entering the country, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“The traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of C.B.P.’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” the statement said.
“Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” it said, adding that decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
FIFA confirmed in a statement that Mr. Artan had been denied entry, and said he would not be able to officiate at the World Cup. “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.”
It appears to be the latest example of international politics affecting the visa process for people participating in the tournament. Last week, members of Iran’s soccer team were granted visas to enter the country after months of uncertainty caused by the United States’ conflict with Iran. But more than a dozen members of the team’s support staff were denied entry into the U.S.
The Trump administration has imposed severe travel and visa restrictions on Somalia, a country in East Africa. In December, President Trump singled out immigrants from the country, calling them “garbage” in a xenophobic tirade at the White House and saying Somalia was “not even a country.”
At the same time, the Pentagon has been working with Somalia’s government to conduct scores of airstrikes against militant targets in the country. Somalia, a federal republic, has been on a path to stable statehood in the last 15 years, but the government faces an insurgency by the militant group Al Shabaab.
Mr. Artan is lionized in Somalia as someone who has risen to a position of international prominence in sports despite the country’s difficulties, and his rejection was felt by many.
“When I received the news, I nearly collapsed because I had high hopes in him,” said Ibrahim Abukar Ahmed, 27, a resident of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. “Today is a sad day not only for Artan, but for millions of Somalis.”
