Washington
The head of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup has defended the United States’ decision to deny visas to a Somali referee and several members of Iran’s support staff, stating that security concerns were the primary reason for the move.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the task force, said during an event in Washington that while all participating teams had been able to enter the United States, certain officials were barred from entry after security vetting.
“To this point we’ve had 35 teams that have come into the United States,” Giuliani said. “No players, no coaches have been denied. There have been some officials that have been denied, and for good reason.”
A US State Department official later told AFP that the Somali referee was deemed ineligible for admission due to alleged associations with individuals linked to suspected terrorist organisations. The official added that such determinations were part of standard security screening procedures.
The referee in question, Omar Artan, who was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football in 2025, was expected to become the first Somali official to oversee matches at a FIFA World Cup. Reports indicate he was turned away upon arrival at Miami airport.
Somalia is among several countries affected by travel restrictions introduced under the current US administration’s broader immigration and security policies.
The Iranian football federation also confirmed that its supporter ticket allocations had been revoked and that certain members of its team staff were denied visas. Iran are scheduled to play their group-stage matches in the United States but have already shifted training arrangements to Mexico amid broader geopolitical tensions.
Giuliani insisted that all official coaching personnel for Iran would be allowed entry, but suggested that some individuals claiming to be team staff did not meet eligibility criteria. “There are some Iranian officials that are not coming in — again for very good reason,” he said.
He also emphasised that the administration’s priority was ensuring security while maintaining fairness for all competing teams. Giuliani added that intelligence agencies were closely monitoring potential risks but said there were currently no credible threats to the tournament.
The developments come as World Cup preparations continue across North America, with security protocols tightened in all host nations ahead of the global football event.