However, FIFA confirmed that Artan would miss the tournament after U.S. authorities denied him entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport and subsequently returned him to Istanbul, Turkey.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny over US visa policies affecting participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and…

Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States for the World Cup.

Omar Artan arrived in Miami from Istanbul on Saturday but was barred from entering the country following a "routine" inspection, CBP said.

Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry into the United States after getting selected to officiate in the World Cup

A Somali referee on course to become the first official from the Horn of Africa nation to work at a FIFA World Cup finals tournament has been refused entry...

Award-winning referee Omar Artan was 'determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns' after arriving in Miami.

June 8 : The United States denied entry to a Somali referee who arrived in the country over the weekend to officiate games during the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Customs and Border…

June 8 : The United States denied entry over the weekend to soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup match.A…

Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from officiating at the World Cup after being barred from entering the United States, world football's governing body FIFA…

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been ruled out of officiating at the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, FIFA said Monday, in a decision that…

Highly rated Somali referee Omar Artan is turned away from the US just days before he was expected to officiate in the FIFA World Cup.

Somali referee Omar Artan will miss the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry into the United States. FIFA confirmed his exclusion from the tournament.

Customs and Border Protection cited unspecified “vetting concerns” for denying entry to Omar Artan.

CBP cites ‘vetting concerns’ after Somali referee Omar Artan arrived in Miami.

However, FIFA confirmed that Artan would miss the tournament after U.S. authorities denied him entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport and subsequently returned him to…

It comes after several incidents that have put US immigration and border enforcement into the spotlight ahead of the World Cup.

US Customs and Border Protection said Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee in the World Cup had been denied entry after arriving to Miami International…

Omar Artan, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was turned back after landing at Miami from an Istanbul flight.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not take part in this summer’s World Cup after he was denied entry into the United States, FIFA confirmed on Monday.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan turned away by immigration officials. Fifa president Gianni Infantino previously said ‘everyone will be welcome’.