The United States government has confirmed that prominent Somali FIFA referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the country after arriving at Miami International Airport earlier this month.
According to the U.S. authorities, Artan arrived from Istanbul on June 6 and was referred for secondary inspection by officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a routine process used to verify information and assess a traveler’s admissibility.
Following the additional screening, CBP determined that Artan was inadmissible to the United States due to security-related vetting concerns. He was subsequently denied entry and required to leave the country.
While officials confirmed the decision was based on security screening results, they did not disclose the specific concerns that led to the determination.
CBP emphasized that all individuals seeking entry into the United States—including athletes, coaches, referees, officials, and support staff—are subject to inspection upon arrival. Admission decisions are made on a case-by-case basis using immigration, law enforcement, and national security information available at the time.
The agency also noted that U.S. law grants border officers authority to question travelers, conduct searches, and determine whether a person meets the requirements for admission.
The case has attracted international attention because of Artan’s standing within global football and his involvement in FIFA competitions. It also comes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, with the tournament set to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
As of now, U.S. authorities have not provided further details regarding the specific security-related findings that resulted in the denial of entry.
