Overview
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan was held for about 11 hours at Miami airport and then declared inadmissible by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which removed him from the 2026 World Cup referee roster and put him on a flight to Turkey.
- CBP said the decision followed a background check and cited security concerns that have not been publicly detailed, a process that allows entry to be denied without releasing the underlying evidence.
- FIFA confirmed it will pay Artan his full World Cup remuneration and provided support after his deportation, signaling institutional recognition of his selection despite his absence from matches.
- Artan has denied any links to extremist groups and said he held the correct visa and accreditation, and he was received warmly on return to Somalia.
- UEFA has since appointed Artan to referee the UEFA Super Cup on August 12, and the episode has prompted scrutiny over how host-country vetting can affect officials and the broader governance of international tournaments.