Somali Referee Omar Artan Denied U.S. Entry for World Cup

Omar Artan, a referee from Somalia selected to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, was denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

This decision was confirmed on a Monday following his attempt to fly from Istanbul to Miami International Airport. The agency stated that the denial was due to additional questions raised during the inspection and vetting process, although they did not identify Artan specifically.

As a result, FIFA announced that Artan would no longer be included in the officiating personnel assigned to matches and would not attend or participate in training or officiating duties during the World Cup. The tournament is set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA plans to work on arrangements for officiating personnel to arrive in designated cities ahead of the competition, but Artan's situation has complicated these preparations.