U.S. Entry Blocked! Somalia's First World Cup Referee Hopes Dashed; "Rejection Reason Not Disclosed"... FIFA: "Host Nation's Exclusive Authority"

*This content was translated by AI.

A referee holding Somali nationality, who was scheduled to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, was denied entry into the United States.

According to major foreign media outlets including AFP and U.S. CBS on the 8th (local time), referee Omar Artan attempted to enter the U.S. through Miami International Airport in Florida on the 6th but was turned away. As a result, the debut of Somalia's first-ever World Cup final tournament referee has been cancelled.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated only that the decision was made due to "concerns during the review process," without disclosing the specific reason for the rejection.

FIFA accepted the U.S. decision and drew a line. In a statement, FIFA explained, "Immigration procedures, including visa issuance, are the exclusive authority of the host country's government," and added, "We have been notified by U.S. authorities that this decision will not be overturned."

This incident is interpreted as a fallout from the Trump administration's stringent immigration control policies. Earlier, President Trump designated Somalia and 38 other countries as entry-banned nations in November last year.

However, since a U.S. federal court ruled on the 5th that the administration's immigration restrictions were illegal, controversy surrounding this entry denial remains.

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*This content was translated by AI.