Political leaders in Canada’s World Cup host cities have voiced their support for Omar Artan, the Somali referee who was denied entry to the United States and will no longer be able to officiate his assigned games at the 2026 World Cup.
Artan arrived in the U.S. on Monday and was turned away at entry, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection saying he was deemed inadmissible at Miami International Airport. On Tuesday, a U.S. official told ESPN that he was denied entry due to “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”
