Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US after being selected to officiate the 2026 World Cup—this is verified by ESPN, NBC, and The Guardian. US officials cited vetting concerns and alleged associations with suspected terror-linked individuals as the stated reason for the denial. While some have interpreted the decision as racially motivated, the available reporting does not establish that racism was the sole factor. FIFA noted that visa decisions are made by the host government. The actual facts about what happened are clear; claims about the underlying motive go beyond what the sources explicitly state.