2026 World Cup: Somali referee denied entry by US breaks silence

Somali referee Omar Artan, 34, was turned away upon arrival in the US on Saturday, where he was set to officiate at the 2026 World Cup. He told the New York Times he does not know why he was denied entry, despite having a valid visa and FIFA documents. He was interrogated for eleven hours, detained, and then sent back to Istanbul. Somalia is among the countries under a US travel ban by the Trump administration.