A Somali football referee traveling to officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 is denied entry to the United States, with multiple outlets reporting he was turned back at Miami International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says the referee is “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns” and is refused entry, without providing additional details. As a result of the refusal, FIFA replaces or removes the referee from the World Cup appointments, and the official is described as missing a World Cup debut that would have marked a significant milestone for Somalia.

Despite being blocked from entering the country and therefore not officiating at the tournament, sources report FIFA still pays the referee his full World Cup match fee for the games he would have worked. Several reports also note that FIFA says it is not responsible for the entry decision and cannot influence U.S. immigration rulings, which remain solely with the co-host United States. The referee’s case is presented as an example of how visa and admissibility checks can affect tournament personnel logistics, even after FIFA selection.