Overview
- Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was stopped at Miami International Airport and denied entry after an extended inspection on Saturday, preventing him from training or officiating at the 2026 World Cup.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the traveler was found inadmissible because of unspecified “vetting concerns,” and FIFA confirmed it cannot overturn host‑country admission decisions and removed Artan from the tournament roster.
- Artan, who had a visa and was named CAF’s 2025 referee of the year, told reporters he was questioned for about 11 hours, flown back to Istanbul and then returned to Mogadishu where he received a large public reception.
- Unnamed U.S. administration sources have been reported to link the denial to national‑security concerns or alleged associations with suspected members of terror groups, but authorities have not publicly detailed the evidence.
- The case sharpens wider operational and reputational strains for the World Cup as U.S. travel restrictions have already affected other teams, staff and journalists and could force shifts in planning because officials must attend the Miami referees’ hub to work matches.