According to reports, a FIFA referee, who was set to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, has been turned away upon arriving in the United States.

There is so much excitement about what the tournament, which will also be hosted by Canada and Mexico, could hold this summer. However, there have long been concerns about logistics for fans, staff and players coming into the US. With a number of nations on Donald Trump’s travel ban list, many predicted issues to arise, and this has already been the case.

Iraqi World Cup striker, Aymen Hussein, was held and questioned for nearly seven ​hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after arriving with the squad, while Iran have seen visa applications rejected for a number of their staff. Fans of nations, including Scotland, have seen travel permits denied late on, and now an official FIFA referee has been sent packing.

2026 World Cup Referee Denied Entry in the United States

The news was broken by Romain Molina, a journalist who has worked with The Guardian, The New York Times, and the BBC. He revealed that highly-regarded Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the US. Taking to social media, he explained:

He went on to add: “This was insufficient for the American authorities, who immediately sent him back… As a reminder, Artan officiated last year’s Champions League final second leg between Pyramids FC and Mamelodi Sundowns and was named CAF’s African Referee of the Year for 2025.”

African journalist Micky Jnr has since added that no clear explanation has yet been provided for why the referee was turned away and sent back to Turkiye. He wrote:

“He travelled from Kenya, transited through Turkey and eventually arrived in the United States. But upon arrival, he was denied entry by immigration authorities and sent back to Turkey. No clear explanation has been provided.”

Omar Abdulkadir Artan Had Been Granted Visa Ahead of World Cup

As mentioned by Molina, Abdulkadir Artan had issues getting an initial visa. However, the problem appeared to be resolved. With Kenyan outlet The Eastleigh Voice reporting just days ago that the referee has ‘secured his United States visa’, clearing the final administrative hurdle that had placed uncertainty over his participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A FIFA representative had confirmed the development, speaking on condition of anonymity, they told the Eastleigh Voice: “I can confirm that the visa issues have been fully resolved and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.”

Having become a FIFA-listed referee in 2018, he was set to make history as the first Somali official appointed to a World Cup. However, after being turned away at the border, it remains unclear if Abdulkadir Artan will now officiate at the tournament.

The referee, regarded as ‘one of the best on the African continent’, became the first Somali to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations, overseeing the group-stage fixture between Tunisia and Namibia in 2024. He was then named CAF’s African Referee of the Year for 2025.

Newcastle United could lose one of the most “popular” members of their squad this summer, as The Sun reports that the Magpies have set a transfer price for an exit.

The potential move comes as part of a potential rebuild within the team, as a disappointing Premier League campaign ended with a mid-table finish.

A lack of European football for next season has resulted in early work to transform the team, as Anthony Gordon joined Barcelona as the first exit of the many that are expected.

Links continue to arise over a possible exit for Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall, and Tino Livramento, but there are others who are being tracked by Premier League clubs this summer.

Nick Pope Transfer Exit Latest

According to the report from The Sun, Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope could leave this summer, despite recently triggering a one-year extension clause in his contract that will now keep him at the club until 2027.

It’s claimed that a £5 million offer would be enough to tempt the Magpies into a sale for the 34-year-old, who has spent four years at the club so far.

The experienced shot-stopper is believed to be considering his options over a stay at the club, or whether he wants to take on a new challenge elsewhere.

Pope was described as a “popular” member of the dressing room last season by Gordon, while manager Howe has also praised his ability for the side, even with a downturn in form.

There is no shortage of suitors for Pope, if he is to leave Newcastle, as the report also states that Premier League sides Leeds United and Ipswich Town are monitoring the goalkeeper’s situation.

Leeds are on the market for another goalkeeper after Lucas Perri struggled to adapt to life in the division, while Karl Darlow could leave the club as a free agent.

As for Ipswich, they have switched goalkeepers around in the past season with both Christian Walton and Alex Palmer battling it out for the number one shirt.

The Tractor Boys earned promotion, but are looking at Pope as an option to boost their chances of survival next season, with the goalkeeper who once featured in their academy ranks.

It remains to be seen whether an exit will be made, but any move will likely prompt Newcastle into the market themselves.

Newcastle Goalkeeper Shortlist

If Newcastle do move on from Pope, then the club will need to enter the market in search of another goalkeeper to take them to the next level.

James Trafford is linked as an option to replace the 34-year-old in the summer, having come close to joining the Magpies last summer before a return to Manchester City.

The 23-year-old was swiftly usurped by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the same window, however, and the lack of game time that has followed looks set to prompt an exit.

Beyond Trafford, the report claims that Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen is an option for Newcastle in the market, as he continues to be linked with an exit from the club.

Any move will be on top of the agreement to sign Ewen Jaouen, who is a 20-year-old shot-stopper from Reims, viewed as an option for the future.

While the obvious focus of the 2026 World Cup will be on the football, it’s undeniable that there will be an ongoing political subtext surrounding the tournament. That’s nothing new to the sport, as it was very much present at Qatar 2022, and in many prior editions of the competition.

While there are many issues to contend with this summer, perhaps the most prominent one will be the ongoing Iranian conflict with the United States, one of the three co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada. It was unclear if Iran would even be willing or able to play at the World Cup, but after months of uncertainty, they arrived in Mexico this week.

Iran Arrive For World Cup With 168 on Shirts

The squad was initially set to train in Tucson, Arizona, but amid the political unease, their base camp will be in Tijuana, Mexico. Iran’s players will not be able to avoid coming into the US, however, as they face group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, before heading to Seattle to face Egypt. That said, reports suggest the US government will demand that Iran leave the country on the same day that they arrive.

Having arrived in North America this week, the Iranian team immediately set about sending a strong political message to Donald Trump’s United States. Indeed, as reported by Catalan news outlet Ara, the players were spotted wearing pins on their clothing which bore the number 168.

This is a direct reference to, and is done in memory of, the 168 girls who died in the American bombing of the Minab school on 28 February.

A statement from UNICEF condemned the bombings at the time, as they confirmed that the attack took place while classes at the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in southern Iran were in progress:

As per the BBC, five former US officials, including a former top military lawyer, then criticised the Pentagon for not acknowledging potential American involvement in the deadly strike. President Trump said on 7 March that in his “opinion” Iran was to blame for the Minab strike, without providing evidence.

Iranian Squad Departed For World Cup Amid Chants of ‘Death to America’

The Iranian squad departed for Mexico from Tehran and were given a state farewell ceremony, in which they were seen off with Hezbollah flags and anti-US chants. Reports claim that the crowd even chanted: ‘Death to America’.

The ill-feeling on the sports side of things will not be helped by claims that the US have very difficulty for key staff members to get visas to enter the country. Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj, for example, was denied entry to Canada two weeks ago when he attempted to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver and is among the staff members whose visa applications were rejected ahead of arriving with the team this week.

When the tournament begins, there is a clear path which could lead the two nations to come up against each other. Should Iran and the USMNT finish second in their respective groups, they will go head-to-head in the round of 32 on 3 July in Arlington, Texas.