U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) blocked a Somalian FIFA World Cup referee from entering the country in Miami on June 6.
CBP said Monday that a Somalian national had been barred from entering the U.S. at Miami International Airport, with FIFA later confirming that the man, Omar Artan, had been selected to officiate World Cup matches. In June 2025, the Trump administration issued a travel ban on foreign nationals traveling into the country from Somalia due to risks of terrorism and poor security measures. (RELATED: Trash Talk War Between Americans, Europeans Erupts Ahead Of World Cup)
“During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in its statement. “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
Equatorial Guinea’s midfielder #4 Fede Bikoro (2R) speaks with Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan (C) during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 round of 16 football match between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 28, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP) (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Artan said in a statement that “despite the circumstances,” he is still “in a positive mood.” He was still denied entry despite reportedly having a valid visa.
“I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” Artan said Monday. “I would like to thank FIFA and [the African federation] for all their support, and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future. I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup, and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
FIFA also released a statement, admitting they had no say in how the host government determines who gets to enter the country and who does not.
Breel Embolo, a star player for Switzerland, was granted entry into the U.S. earlier in June after officials blocked his travel authorization. Embolo was previously involved in a verbal altercation in Basel, Switzerland, and U.S. officials wanted to ensure the incident was non-violent.