The United States has issued a statement addressing the controversy surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry ahead of the World Cup. Artan, named Africa's referee of the year in 2025, was selected as one of 52 officials for the tournament but was turned away at the US border despite claiming to have proper documentation. He would have been the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, but FIFA confirmed he will not oversee any games.
US Cites Security Concerns
The Trump administration asserted that Artan had links to "suspected members of terror organisations." US immigration policies have tightened under President Donald Trump, with 12 countries, including Somalia, barred from entry. An administration official stated that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials determined Artan posed a national security threat. "Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. This made Artan ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The official added, "President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country, full stop."
Somali Government Response
The Somali government confirmed it attempted to negotiate with the US and FIFA to allow Artan to referee. "His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people," the Somali sports ministry said in a statement. Andrew Giuliani, son of Rudy Giuliani and executive director of the White House Task Force for the upcoming World Cup, told Sky News there were "a few things we can't talk about" regarding Artan. He stated that "anybody who's communicating with bad actors... are not going to be admitted," while insisting the tournament would be "safe and secure." Additional reporting from Reuters.
