The White House explained why Africa's top referee was denied entry to the U.S.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the United States denied entry to one of Africa’s most renowned soccer referees, the Somali Omar Artan. The White House stated that the decision was related to his recent contacts with individuals who, according to the U.S. side, could pose a threat.
However, Washington did not disclose any details, and Artan himself became the only referee and the only non-Iranian official to be barred from entering the country during the tournament.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a scandal erupted surrounding one of Africa’s top referees. Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the U.S., and the White House explained the reasons for this decision for the first time.
Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House working group on World Cup preparations, stated that he fully supports the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision to bar Artan from entering the country. According to Giuliani, U.S. authorities cannot disclose all the details, but certain information served as the basis for the ban. “There are things we cannot discuss. What I can say is that he is the only referee and the only non-Iranian official who has been barred from entering the country for this tournament,” the White House representative stated.
He also added that the reason was the referee’s contacts with people whom Washington considers dangerous. “He very recently communicated with bad people about actions on U.S. soil. I’ll leave it at that,” Giuliani said. At the same time, the U.S. side did not provide any additional details.
Omar Artan is one of the continent’s most renowned soccer referees. In 2025, he was named Africa’s best referee. He has regularly officiated international matches and earned a strong reputation among soccer experts. Despite the situation with the U.S., Artan’s international career continues. UEFA has entrusted him with officiating the UEFA Super Cup match between France’s “PSG” and England’s “Aston Villa.”
The story of the referee being denied entry to the U.S. has become one of the most high-profile events in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. However, no official comments have yet been received from Artan himself. The White House emphasizes that the decision to deny entry was made by the relevant agencies, and the U.S. administration fully supports the actions of border officials. Thus, one of Africa’s best referees will not be able to officiate at World Cup matches, despite his status and international recognition. This was reported by TalkSport.
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