World Cup referee denied entry to the US due to ties to ‘members of terror organizations’

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States at Miami International Airport after arriving from Istanbul. U.S. Customs and Border Protection turned him away due to suspected ties to members of terror organizations. Consequently, the official was denied a US visa for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament. After returning home, Artan expressed his hope to officiate in the next tournament despite the current restrictions preventing his participation in the upcoming event.