US Accuses Somali Referee of Ties to Terrorist Organizations in 2026 World Cup

The Trump administration said Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the United States because of links to “suspected members of terror organisations,” making him a “national security threat.”

Artan, who was named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was set to become Somalia’s first official at a World Cup but was refused entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the weekend.

FIFA has announced that Artan will now be unable to officiate at the tournament, which begins this week and is co‑hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The United States, which imposed sweeping travel bans on 12 countries including Somalia under the Trump administration, said on Tuesday that CBP officials had deemed Artan a threat to national security.

The CBP issued a statement that a Somali national – not identified as Artan – arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was deemed inadmissible due to vetting concerns.

“Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered,” an anonymous administration official told reporters. “President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country, full stop.”

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott was unrepentant, saying on Tuesday that travellers are regularly denied entry to the United States because they are not eligible for entry or pose a threat.

“I don’t really care what you do for a living. The law is still the law,” Scott told a Washington event hosted by the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates less immigration. “If you don’t meet the qualifications to come into the country, we’re not letting you in just because we want you to referee a game.”

Somalia’s government said it had unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the United States and FIFA so that Artan – who was issued a valid visa – could enter the country and had not received an official explanation for why he was denied.

The sports ministry said, “His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people.”

James Agberebi

James is a sport content creator and also does analysis on sports. Also, James has covered international matches involving both Nigeria’s men and women national teams. Facebook : James Agberebi