A United States official has alleged that Somali referee Omar Artan has ties to suspected members of terrorist organisations, citing the claim as the reason he was denied entry into the country ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to visa privacy laws, disclosed the allegation on Tuesday but did not provide any evidence or further details to support the claim.
Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, was stopped upon arrival at Miami International Airport on Saturday despite possessing a valid US visa. The US Customs and Border Protection agency initially said only that he had been denied entry over unspecified “vetting concerns.”
Earlier, Executive Director of the White House FIFA Task Force, Andrew Giuliani, had described the decision as being made for a “very good reason” but declined to elaborate.
Speaking to The New York Times, Artan said he was questioned for 11 hours by border officials about his travels, Somali politics and the al-Shabab militant group. He said he presented FIFA documents and proof of his refereeing credentials before being placed in a holding cell and deported to Istanbul.
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” Artan told the newspaper, adding that he was never informed of the reason for the refusal.
The 2025 African Referee of the Year had been selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup and was expected to join fellow match officials at a training camp in Miami ahead of the tournament, which begins on Thursday.
FIFA said it played no role in the immigration process and had been informed by US authorities that Artan’s immigration status would not be changed “at present.”
Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports said diplomatic efforts were ongoing to resolve the issue and secure Artan’s participation in the tournament.
The case has attracted widespread attention, as it is highly unusual for a FIFA-appointed World Cup match official to be denied entry by a host nation.
