The FIFA World Cup 2026 referee denied entry into the United States for this year’s tournament was turned away over suspected ties to terrorist organizations. Omar Artan, from Somalia, arrived at Miami International Airport on Saturday after departing from Istanbul. He was turned away at the airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection due to “vetting concerns.” No other information about Artan being denied entry to the country was provided until today, when a Trump administration official released an updated statement.“This individual was seeking admission to the United States,” read the statement provided to Fox News. “Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered, making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).”
BREAKING: The Somali FIFA World Cup referee who was denied entry into the U.S. by CBP was flagged with “derogatory” information, including “association with suspected members of terror organizations”, making him inadmissible for entry into the U.S., a Trump admin official tells…— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 10, 2026