2026 World Cup: White House Defends Artan's Deportation and Iran Visa Restrictions

The White House has defended U.S. authorities following the deportation of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, upon his arrival at Miami International Airport on June 6.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Artan, arriving from Istanbul, was subjected to a “routine additional inspection” after which he was “deemed inadmissible due to issues related to background verification.” The decision sparked strong criticism in the football world.

Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and head of the tournament organization task force within the Trump administration, responded to criticism without providing details. “There was a referee who was not admitted. I cannot go into the details, but what I can tell you is that it was for a very good reason,” he said.

He also sought to downplay the scope of the restrictions: “So far, 35 teams have been able to enter the United States. No player or coach has been denied access.”

The case of the Iranian national team was also addressed. Around fifteen members of Team Melli’s coaching staff were denied U.S. visas. Giuliani justified these decisions by citing the need to prevent “malicious actors from entering the country under the guise of the World Cup.” “All of the Iranian team’s coaching staff can enter. There are Iranian officials who cannot enter, again for very good reasons,” he clarified, suggesting that some of those denied entry could “work directly with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.”

The Artan affair constitutes the first major diplomatic incident of a competition that has not yet officially begun, and raises questions about access conditions to U.S. territory for all delegations participating in the tournament.