Somali football referee denied US entry, will miss World Cup debut

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

A FIFA spokesperson said on Monday (Jun 8) that Artan will not be able to train and officiate at the World Cup - which kicks off on Thursday - after he was not allowed to enter the US.

"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," the spokesperson said.

Artan said in a statement that despite the circumstances, he was in a positive mood and focused on the next challenges of his refereeing career.

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"I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," he said.

"I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), without naming him, said in a statement that a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was deemed inadmissible due to vetting concerns.

The agency did not elaborate on those concerns, but said the referee underwent routine additional inspection before being denied entry.

"Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection," the CBP said.

The Trump administration's strict immigration policies have been a point of concern ahead of the World Cup. Last year, Washington imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia.

Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football's Best Male Referee for 2025, had a valid visa, according to media reports. Somalia's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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