The U.S. government has firmly defended its decision to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Artan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing strict security protocols.
The decision sparked controversy after Artan was turned away upon arrival at Miami International Airport, despite holding a valid U.S. visa. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Somali official was flagged for additional inspection before being ruled inadmissible and sent back to Turkey.
Artan’s case is not isolated. U.S. authorities also barred several Iranian support staff members from entering the country after a targeted review raised security red flags.
Officials from the White House Task Force overseeing World Cup preparations later revealed that the blocked Iranian personnel allegedly had ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in Washington, task force executive director Andrew Giuliani stood by the government’s rigorous screening process, emphasizing that safety takes precedence over sports.
“To this point, we’ve had 35 teams that have come into the United States. No players and no coaches have been denied. There have been some officials who have been denied, and for good reason.” — Andrew Giuliani, White House Task Force Executive Director
While Giuliani declined to share specific intelligence details regarding the cases, he insisted the decisions were made with extreme care.
Moving forward, U.S. authorities say they are committed to striking a delicate balance: maintaining an open, welcoming environment for global soccer participants while ensuring “bad actors” cannot exploit the tournament to gain access to the country.
