White House official defends barring World Cup referee Omar Artan

White House task force executive director Andrew Giuliani has defended the decision to bar Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the United States for the 2026 World Cup.

Artan, named Africa’s best referee last year, was denied entry earlier this week despite holding a valid single-entry visa and Fifa documentation.

The 34-year-old was interviewed by border officials for 11 hours before being placed on a flight to Istanbul.

Security concerns cited

A US official previously informed ESPN that the African match official was turned away due to alleged associations with suspected members of terror organisations.

Giuliani has now publicly backed US Customs and Border Protection, describing the returning official as a “bad actor”.

He was talking to some bad people, very recently, about actions here in the United States.

Andrew Giuliani

Speaking to talkSPORT, the task force chief insisted it was the correct decision to send him home.

What I can tell you from my standpoint, and having seen the information on what he was doing, was that I stand by CBP’s decision.

Andrew Giuliani

Uefa offers support

Following the rejection, Canadian politicians reportedly sent alternative tournament invitations to the official.

However, Fifa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina requires all match officials to attend a mandatory training hub in Miami, effectively ending the Somali national’s hopes of participating.

In response to the ban, European football’s governing body has appointed him to officiate the 2026 Uefa Super Cup.

He will take charge of the match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin praised the highly-rated official’s outstanding skills and continental experience.

Football is made to connect people, and Uefa wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination.

Aleksander Ceferin