Border Patrol Denies Somali World Cup Referee Entry Into US
Somali referee Omar Artan was set to make history by being the first Somali to officiate at the World Cup before being barred from the U.S.
Black News 
The Trump administration continues to find new and inventive ways to be racist. On Monday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) denied Omar Artan, a Somali World Cup referee, from entering the United States.
According to AP, CBP issued a statement that Artan was denied entry at Miami International Airport due to “vetting concerns.” When Artan arrived at the airport, he was interviewed for 11 hours by border officials. They asked him questions about why he was traveling to the U.S., his view on Somali politics, and the al-Shabab militant group currently fighting an insurgency against the Somali government.
Artan explained he was a World Cup referee and showed photos from his career, but that did little to help, as CBP placed him in a holding cell before sending him on a flight back to Istanbul, where his connecting flight originated.
The CBP justified Artan’s interrogation by calling it an “additional inspection” and “a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.”
“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 added. CBP’s statement doubled down on its actions by saying all travelers, including World Cup players, coaches, and staff, were subject to CBP inspection and vetting.
“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 CBP statement said. “CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”
“I am very, very disappointed,” Artan said in a telephone interview with the New York Times. “I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.” Artan is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.
What makes this move even more despicable is the fact that Omar Artan was going to be the first Somali to ever referee a World Cup game. This should’ve been a fun, feel-good story ahead of the World Cup, but it has only validated concerns that Trump’s immigration policies were going to derail the proceedings.
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” Artan told the Times, adding he had the correct documents and visa. He’s not wrong, as Somalia is one of 40 countries that Trump put travel restrictions on last year. He said he wasn’t told why he was refused entry, according to the Times.
Any hope that FIFA would work to remedy the situation has been dashed, as they have removed Artan from the referee pool. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country,” FIFA said in a statement.
Considering this is the organization that gave President Donald Trump a made-up peace prize, this is sadly unsurprising.
The way the Trump administration is handling the World Cup raises serious concerns about how they’re going to be moving. Events like the World Cup and the Olympics are meant to unify the world through sports. It’s a shame that Trump’s policies are undermining that principle.
SEE ALSO:
Republicans On House Armed Services Committee Vote For ‘Department Of War’ Rename, But Why Though?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Is Blocking Promotions For Black And Women Navy Officers, Too
