10/06/2026
WHITE HOUSE REVEALS SOMALIA'S TOP REFEREE IS LINKED TO TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
The White House has broken its silence over the decision to deny Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan entry into the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to a statement cited by The Athletic FC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered what it described as “derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations” during further inspection.
The U.S. government said this made Artan ineligible for admission under the Immigration and Nationality Act, adding that President Donald Trump’s administration “will not allow any security threat to enter our country, full stop.”
The development has sparked major reactions in the football world, as Artan had been selected among the referees expected to officiate at the World Cup.
Source:TFY News