The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Al Jazeera on June 9 that referee Omar Artan was not allowed to enter the country after arriving at Miami International Airport in Florida on Saturday (June 7). A DHS spokesperson said Artan was found 'inadmissible due to concerns identified during the vetting process' but declined to provide further details.
Omar Artan, listed by FIFA among 52 referees for the 2026 World Cup, was expected to become the first Somali to officiate a match in the tournament's history. His arrival in the U.S. by air indicates he held a valid visa before traveling.
Somalia is among the countries subject to a travel ban imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump previously stirred controversy by calling Somali immigrants in the U.S. 'garbage' in late 2025.
The incident is the latest flashpoint over U.S. visa policy and the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Earlier, the Iranian national team had to base itself in Mexico due to visa issues, and some team staff were denied U.S. visas.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized the Trump administration's plan to bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in the city during the tournament. 'Soccer would not exist without immigrants. We will not allow ICE or anyone to sow fear in our communities,' Mamdani wrote on social media.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also condemned the ban. CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell told Al Jazeera: 'Our country should not ban anyone from coming to our shores because of their race or ethnicity. That is especially true for coaches, referees, or anyone attending the World Cup.'
FIFA, which awarded Trump its first peace prize last year, has not commented on the matter. DHS said that participation in the World Cup, including athletes, coaches, and staff, does not alter the screening process or decisions made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at airports and ports of entry.
In an interview with Al Jazeera in Mogadishu earlier this year, Artan called it an 'honor' to appear on soccer's biggest stage despite the hardships and conflict in Somalia. He said he sometimes had to change his route to a local stadium due to explosions in the country. 'You cannot give up as a referee. You have to have a goal and keep fighting if you want to reach a place like the World Cup,' he said.
