Omar Artan, the first World Cup referee from Somalia, who will oversee the 2026 North American World..

Omar Artan, the first World Cup referee from Somalia, who will oversee the 2026 North American World Cup game, which opens on the 11th (Korea Standard Time), has been denied entry to the United States.

Major foreign media, including the Associated Press, reported on the 9th, “Omar Artan, who was scheduled to be the first World Cup referee in Somali history, was denied entry to the United States,” adding, “He had a valid travel visa but was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport on the 7th.”

According to the news agency, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that a Somali national, who was scheduled to referee at the World Cup, was denied entry after arriving at Miami International Airport on an Istan flight.

Artan, who has been a FIFA referee since 2028, was selected as the “African Football Federation (CAF) Judgment of the Year” last year, and will be the first Somali to serve as a referee at the 2026 North-China World Cup.

Although he obtained a U.S. visa and even received a diplomat’s passport from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, CBP reportedly denied Artan entry to Miami International Airport upon arrival and then boarded him on a return flight to Istanbul.

CBP responded by saying, “During the immigration process, the traveler underwent additional tests. This is a regular review conducted by airport staff when they need to check information or determine whether they can enter the country.

“As a result of the examination, travelers were denied entry because they were ineligible for entry due to background check-related issues,” he said. “All travelers who want to enter the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspections and background checks.”

In particular, CBP emphasized, “The availability of entry is determined individually by national security and immigration information at the time of screening,” adding, “CBP employees have the power to interrogate travelers and conduct inspections in accordance with U.S. law to determine whether they can enter the country.”

Somalia is one of the countries subject to a travel ban introduced by the Trump administration as one of its widespread immigration crackdowns.

When referee Artan failed to enter the United States, FIFA decided to exclude Artan from the World Cup refereeing team.