A youth soccer nonprofit in Seattle returns 20 free tickets to a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match after the United States bars Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the country. The decision is framed by the nonprofit as a protest against what it says is the exclusion of the referee because of his background. Organiser Ali Abdulla said he was initially excited when the tickets were granted for the nonprofit’s players and families, but he later chose to return them following the immigration action. The nonprofit’s move draws attention to how visa and entry restrictions can affect people involved in international sporting events, including officials. The sources report that the returned tickets are intended to be returned to the ticket provider or tournament organisers, rather than used by the nonprofit’s youth participants. The dispute centers on Artan’s inability to travel to the match location in the U.S., with the nonprofit using the ticket return as its public response.