White House World Cup chief defends visa ban for Somali referee, Iranians

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…

Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan, set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, was denied entry to the United States, a sports ministry…

The referee was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry," a CBP spokesperson said, without going into further detail.

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…

Federal immigration authorities barred a Somali soccer referee who was slated to officiate the FIFA World Cup from entering the U.S. over the weekend, citing "vetting concerns."

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

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 Artan, Africa's top referee in 2025, was set to become the first Somali national to officiate at a FIFA World Cup before being denied entry by US authorities

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

Iranian officials refused visas while Iraq striker Hussein held for seven hours upon arrival in Chicago

The United States denied entry to CAF Referee of the Year Omar Artan, forcing the Somali official out of the FIFA World Cup and raising concerns about visa restrictions affecting…

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Iranian officials refused visas while Iraq striker Hussein held for seven hours upon arrival in Chicago

Porta-voz disse que entrada de africano Omar Artan nos EUA foi negada por 'razões muito boas'

EXCLUSIVE: With Somalia referee Omar Artan banned from the United States, ex-players have said it's a "World Cup of chaos" and "Martin Luther King would be turning in his grave"

Somalia on Tuesday defended award-winning referee Omar Artan after he was denied entry to the United States, preventing him from becoming the first Somali official to officiate at…

White House World Cup chief defends visa ban for Somali referee, Iranians

A senior White House official defended U.S. entry restrictions affecting some international participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that the...

Funcionarios de EU defienden los controles migratorios y afirman que ningún jugador ni entrenador ha sido excluido del torneo