Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry into the United States at Miami airport

Omar Artan, the only Somali referee appointed to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, was denied entry into the United States after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed the decision on Monday, citing unspecified “vetting concerns.”

Although CBP’s statement did not name Artan directly, he is Somalia’s sole World Cup referee, leaving no ambiguity about the individual involved. The agency described the denial as the outcome of a routine additional inspection process.

“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. “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”

CBP emphasised that all individuals seeking entry into the US — including athletes, coaches and tournament staff — are subject to its inspection and vetting procedures. “Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the agency added.

In a separate development involving the tournament, Iran’s World Cup squad arrived in Tijuana, Mexico on Sunday wearing gold-coloured lapel pins bearing the number “168.” The figure refers to the victims — predominantly children — killed in a February 28 strike on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, an attack widely attributed to the United States. Iran’s embassy in Hungary acknowledged the pins in a social media post on Monday, explicitly referencing the Minab incident.

The gesture echoes a tribute the squad made in March before a warmup match in Antalya, Turkey, when players displayed pink and purple school backpacks during their national anthem to draw attention to the same strike.