U.S. Denies Entry to World Cup Referee From Somalia NYT - Top Stories By: Hussein Mohamed and Tariq Panja 8 June 2026 at 22:40 Omar Artan was one of 52 referees selected for the FIFA World Cup. But on Saturday he was denied entry because of “vetting concerns,” U.S. officials said. © Khaled Desouki/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesOmar Artan will not officiate games at the World Cup, FIFA said.
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