Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup, defends the United States decision to deny visas to a Somali referee and some Iranian team support staff. Speaking in Washington, Giuliani says US authorities are “striking a balance” between allowing teams to participate and preventing “bad actors” from entering under the World Cup’s cover. He also says the measures are aimed at maintaining a “level playing field” for teams while restricting access for people tied to or associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or other alleged security concerns.
Sources report that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the United States and was turned back at Miami. Giuliani says he cannot provide details but that the decision was made for “very good reason.” He adds that no players or coaches have been denied visas, while some officials were refused.
Regarding Iran, reports say some support staff visas were denied and that Iran’s football federation said ticket allocations for supporters were revoked, with Iran shifting its training base to Mexico amid the conflict between the United States and Iran. Giuliani says there are currently no credible threats but that intelligence monitoring continues through the tournament.
