The Trump administration announced that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the United States due to alleged connections to “suspected members of terror organizations,” which designated him as a “national security threat.”
Artan, recognized as Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was on track to be Somalia’s first representative at a World Cup but was denied entry into the US by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the weekend. According to Fifa, Artan will not be able to officiate at the tournament, which is set to commence this week and is co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.
The US, which implemented extensive travel bans on 12 countries, including Somalia, during Trump’s presidency, stated on Tuesday that CBP officials had classified Artan as a national security threat.
CBP released a statement indicating that a Somali national (not specifically named as Artan) arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was found inadmissible due to vetting concerns.
An unnamed administration official informed reporters: “Upon closer inspection by CBP, negative information, including associations with suspected members of terrorist organizations, was identified.”
Omar Artan was denied entry to the US and will no longer referee at the World Cup (AFP/Getty)
“The Trump administration will not permit any security risks to enter our country, no exceptions,” the official stated.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott defended the decision, indicating that travelers can be denied entry based on their eligibility or threats they may pose.
“I don’t care what you do for a living. The law is the law,” Scott stated at an event in Washington hosted by the Center for Immigration Studies, a group favoring reduced immigration. “If you don’t meet the qualifications to enter the country, we won’t let you in just because you’re supposed to referee a game.”
Artan shared that he faced an 11-hour immigration interview before his entry was denied, expressing to the New York Times: “I am incredibly disappointed. I’m just a referee trying to pursue my dream – the biggest dream of my life, to participate in the World Cup.”
The Somali government stated it had attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with the US and Fifa to facilitate Artan’s entry, despite him holding a valid visa, yet received no official explanation for the denial.
The sports ministry noted, “His achievements on the international stage are a source of pride for the Somali people.”
Fifa faced criticism for its apparent lack of authority in this matter. A spokesperson stressed that the organization “is not involved in immigration processes, including visa decisions, and has been informed that Mr. Artan’s status will not change for now.”
Additionally, several Iranian staff members have also faced entry denials, while Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein experienced extensive questioning upon his arrival in Chicago, and the teams from Senegal and Uzbekistan underwent significant security screenings once in the country.
Additional reporting by Reuters