World Cup Referee from Somalia Barred from Entering US

The decision comes amid concern that Trump administration policies will hamper preparations for the global sporting event.

A worker walks past temporary fencing with FIFA World Cup 2026 signage outside SoFi Stadium.

A worker walks past temporary fencing with FIFA World Cup 2026 signage outside SoFi Stadium, June 5, 2026, in Inglewood, California. | Jae C. Hong/AP

By Joe Stanley-Smith and Sophia Cai

06/08/2026 08:27 PM EDT

A World Cup referee from Somalia has been denied entry to the U.S., forcing him out of the global sporting event just days before the first match.

Omar Artan had landed in Miami on a flight from Istanbul over the weekend when he was turned away, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Monday.

CBP did not say why the referee was barred from entry, though Somalia is among about 40 countries designated for additional scrutiny or subject to travel bans under President Donald Trump.

“Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” CBP said.

The decision to bar his entry comes amid widespread concern that Trump administration policies will hamper World Cup preparation as the U.S. prepares to host matches in 11 cities.

FIFA confirmed it had been informed about the U.S. decision to bar Artan from entry and said his “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,” the organization said in a statement.

This is the first known case of a World Cup referee being barred from entry by U.S. immigration authorities, though several players and coaching staff, as well as numerous fans, have had trouble entering the country.

The State Department said it is working with the White House, Department of Homeland Security and FIFA to support efforts to secure visas for those involved in the World Cup but must also uphold U.S. law and administration policies.

“The Administration will not waver in upholding U.S. law and the highest standards of national security and public safety in the conduct of our visa process,” the department said in a statement.

Artan, a former player pushed into becoming a referee by injuries, would have been the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup.

He spoke in a pre-tournament interview with Al Jazeera of the challenges he faced in his homeland. “You cannot give up,” he told the network. “You have to fight if you want to go to a place like the World Cup.”

Somalia is one of 12 countries whose citizens Trump effectively banned from entry to the U.S. in December 2025, citing terrorism risks. He has repeatedly directed specific animus toward the East African nation, saying in December that the country “stinks” and calling people from the country “garbage.”

The administration has also revoked temporary visas for thousands of Somali citizens in the country and accused people from the diaspora community in Minnesota of engaging in fraud.

The World Cup, which the U.S. will jointly host with Mexico and Canada, kicks off June 11 in Mexico City.