A Somali World Cup referee was barred from entering the United States, with customs agents citing “vetting concerns.”Omar Artan, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was turned back after landing at Miami from an Istanbul flight. U.S. Customs and Border Protection acknowledged his position in its statement.“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,” the statement said.
AS FAR Rabat’s To Carneiro, right, reacts as the referee Omar Artan signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
FIFA announced that Artan would miss the World Cup as a result, saying it was “informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.”
“Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications … in line with previous Fifa events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country,” it added.