World Cup referee Omar Artan denied US entry over alleged links to terror organizations

World Cup referee Omar Artan denied US entry over alleged links to terror organizations Omar Artan, Africa's top FIFA referee who was selected to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, has been denied entry to the United States over alleged terrorism concerns Omar Artan was refused entry to the United States to work as a referee at the World Cup due to alleged links to terrorism, the Trump administration has said. Artan is widely considered to be Africa's finest referee, but was removed from FIFA's list for the tournament after US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) turned him away at Miami International Airport. The 34-year-old from Somalia was put on a return flight to Turkey, where he had been in transit from Kenya. Speaking to the New York Times, Artan said he was "very disappointed" by the decision. "I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," Artan added. The Trump administration has since moved to justify its decision to bar Artan from entering the country. "This individual was seeking admission to the United States," a statement from an administration official said, as reported by the Mirror US. Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter "Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered, making the traveller ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). "The traveller was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA. President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country - full stop." The official statement follows US Customs and Border Protection revealing vetting concerns regarding the football referee. "The traveller underwent additional inspection, a routine part of C.B.P.'s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility," they said. "Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry." The Somali government had unsuccessfully tried to intervene and negotiate with the US government. “His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people,” the sports ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) claimed it had not received an official explanation as to why Artan was turned away and would contact FIFA to escalate their grievances. Artan received a hero's welcome upon arrival in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday. Hundreds of supporters greeted the referee at the airport, where he said: “I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one. I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.” On Monday, FIFA issued a statement confirming that Artan would play no part in the summer tournament. "FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States," they said. "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan's status will not be changed at present. In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country." For Artan, officiating at the World Cup represented the pinnacle of his career ambitions. Those hopes have now been cruelly dashed. "I am very, very disappointed. I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup," he told the NYT. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that's 'designed for football' from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.