World Cup referee from Somalia denied entry to the US: CBP

The referee arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday.

A Somalian referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was denied entry into the United States over the weekend "due to vetting concerns," U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday.

The referee arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and "underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP's inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility," a CBP spokesperson said in a statement.

The referee was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry," the spokesperson said, without going into further detail.

Somalia is included in the Trump administration's travel ban , which places restrictions on several countries.

The CBP spokesperson did not publicly identify the referee.

ABC News has reached out to FIFA for comment.

FIFA previously announced that 52 referees, as well as 88 assistant referees, were selected for the global soccer tournament.

The CBP spokesperson said all travelers, including athletes, coaches and staff, are subject to inspection and vetting.

"Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection," the spokesperson added.

The World Cup kicks off Thursday and is being hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

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