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A United States official has revealed that Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the country ahead of the FIFA World Cup because of his alleged “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”
The official, who spoke anonymously on Tuesday night, as reported by ESPN, due to visa privacy laws, provided the explanation days after Artan was turned away upon arrival in the U.S.
Earlier on Tuesday, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, had said Artan was denied entry for a “very good reason” but declined to elaborate.
Artan was refused admission at Miami International Airport on Saturday over what U.S. Customs and Border Protection described as “vetting concerns.” Authorities did not provide further details at the time.
The Somali referee had been issued a visa to travel to the United States last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, which processed the document.
Artan later told The New York Times that he was questioned by border officials for 11 hours after arriving in Miami.
According to him, officials asked about the purpose of his visit, Somali politics and the al-Shabab militant
group, which has been waging an insurgency against Somalia’s government.
He said he presented FIFA documentation and photographs from his refereeing career during the interview.
Following the interrogation, Artan said he was placed in a holding cell before being put on a flight back to Istanbul, where he had boarded his connecting flight to the United States.
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” Artan told The New York Times, adding that he had the correct documents and visa.
He also said he was never informed why he was denied entry.
Artan, who was named Africa’s best male referee in 2025, had been set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup after being included in FIFA’s final list of match officials announced two months ago.
FIFA said it had no role in the immigration process and had been informed by U.S. authorities that Artan’s “status will not be changed at present.”
Somalia’s Youth and Sports Ministry said its embassy in the United States is working to resolve the issue in the hope of allowing Artan to participate in the tournament, which begins on Thursday.
The decision to deny entry to a FIFA-appointed World Cup match official is considered highly unusual.
Artan had been scheduled to join fellow World Cup referees at their training base in Miami before the start of the competition.
The incident has also renewed concerns over the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration restrictions.
Somalia is among nearly 40 countries affected by new travel measures, raising fears that fans, players and officials from those nations could face difficulties entering the United States for the World Cup despite holding valid visas.
