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U.S. Officials Bar Referee From Entering Country for 2026 World Cup
Immigration authorities rejected a referee's diplomatic passport and visa, leading to an 11-hour interrogation and return flight. FIFA kept the referee on the officiating roster and paid the full tournament fee.
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U.S. immigration authorities rejected a referee's diplomatic passport and single-entry visa on Monday, then placed the official on a return flight after an 11-hour interrogation. A U.S. government official said the decision followed an alleged association with suspected members of terror organizations.
FIFA removed the referee from the 2026 World Cup officiating roster but will pay the full tournament fee, understood to be around £75,000. The governing body stated it has no authority over host-nation immigration decisions. White House chief Andrew Giuliani said the referee was the only one banned from entering the country for the tournament.
Giuliani stated that the referee had been communicating with suspicious individuals regarding potential activities on American soil and that the administration stands by the decision.
The referee told border officials he had been questioned about links to the Somali militant group Al Shabab and replied that he knew nothing about the organization. "I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," the referee said. The referee arrived back in Mogadishu and received a hero's welcome from supporters.
The referee told hundreds of flag-waving well-wishers that attendance at the next World Cup remained the goal and urged the public to remain confident.
The referee was named Africa's referee of the year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football and was the first Somali referee selected for a World Cup. The referee had been one of seven African referees chosen by the confederation for the tournament and has been a FIFA referee since 2018.
UEFA appointed the referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on 12 August. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said the referee is an excellent young but already experienced official who has proven himself at the highest level of African football.
Giuliani noted that the administration wished to welcome visitors genuinely seeking to enjoy the competition but would not allow the event to serve as cover for those with malicious intent.
