Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Aden will miss this summer’s World Cup in the United States after being denied entry, FIFA confirmed on Monday.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Omar was subjected to additional screening upon his arrival in Miami from Istanbul, Turkey.
A CBP spokesman said the screening was part of a routine process to verify travelers’ information and eligibility for entry into the country. He added that he was ultimately determined to be ineligible for entry into the United States due to security screening, and was therefore denied entry.
U.S. officials did not provide further details about the specific reason for the Somali referee’s denial, but Somalia is among the countries affected by President Donald Trump’s travel ban, which has led to stricter screening for citizens of those countries.
Omar Abdulkadir Aden was named the best African referee in 2025 and was selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate at this year’s World Cup.
FIFA said it had no role in the visa and immigration procedures of the host country. A spokesman for the organization said the host government had the final say on who would be granted a visa and who would be allowed to enter the country.
The incident comes as other countries, including Iran, have also faced restrictions on entry to the United States as the Trump administration tightened immigration and border security policies.
