US authorities cite potential links to terrorism as reason for denying Somali national Omar Artan a visa.

A United States official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to visa privacy laws, revealed on Tuesday night that Somali referee Omar Artan's alleged ties to suspected terror organization members led to his denial of entry into the country ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

This explanation came days after Artan was turned away upon arrival in the U.S., with Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, stating earlier on Tuesday that Artan was denied entry for a "very good reason" without providing further details.

Artan was refused admission at Miami International Airport on Saturday due to "vetting concerns," according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which did not elaborate on the matter at the time.

Despite being issued a visa to travel to the United States the previous week, as confirmed by the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, Artan was still denied entry, prompting questions about the decision-making process.

According to Artan, he was questioned by border officials for 11 hours after arriving in Miami, during which he was asked about the purpose of his visit, Somali politics, and the al-Shabab militant group.

Artan presented FIFA documentation and photographs from his refereeing career during the interrogation, but was ultimately placed in a holding cell before being put on a flight back to Istanbul, where he had boarded his connecting flight to the United States.

In an interview with The New York Times, Artan expressed his belief that the issue stemmed from his country of origin, stating "I think that they have a problem with my country," and noting that he had the correct documents and visa but was never informed why he was denied entry.

As Africa's best male referee in 2025, Artan was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, having been included in FIFA's final list of match officials announced two months prior.

FIFA stated that it had no role in the immigration process and had been informed by U.S. authorities that Artan's "status will not be changed at present," leaving his participation in the tournament uncertain.

Somalia's Youth and Sports Ministry is working to resolve the issue through its embassy in the United States, with the hope of allowing Artan to participate in the World Cup, which begins on Thursday.

The decision to deny entry to a FIFA-appointed World Cup match official is considered highly unusual, and Artan had been scheduled to join fellow World Cup referees at their training base in Miami before the start of the competition.

The incident has also raised concerns over the impact of the Trump administration's immigration restrictions, with Somalia being one of nearly 40 countries affected by new travel measures, potentially causing difficulties for fans, players, and officials from those nations to enter the United States for the World Cup despite holding valid visas.