‘Terribly backward’ – Hillary Clinton condemns US after Omar Artan World Cup 2026 visa rejection

The United States government has denied entry to history-making Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sparking intense international backlash and a sharp public rebuke from former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Best Male Referee for 2025, was slated to become the first Somali referee to ever officiate a World Cup match.

He arrived at Miami International Airport on June 6, traveling with a valid U.S. visa and a diplomatic passport. However, during a routine border inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities deemed him inadmissible.

A CBP spokesperson later confirmed the refusal was due to unspecified “vetting concerns.” Somalia remains under strict travel and visa restrictions maintained by the Trump administration.

The decision ignited swift political fallout. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Hillary Clinton criticized the administration’s actions, writing, “As a world cup host, the U.S. shouldn’t be flippantly barring officials from entering the country to do their jobs.

“It’s terribly backward. It’s also counterproductive. Global sports competitions should improve international exchange and relations, not the reverse.”

Clinton’s statement amplified a growing wave of global criticism arguing that rigid domestic immigration policies are undermining the cooperative spirit required of an international tournament host.

In response to the incident, soccer’s global governing body, FIFA, announced it will not intervene in the immigration procedures or sovereign border decisions of host countries.

Due to his inability to enter the United States, FIFA officially dropped Artan from the tournament roster of 52 match officials.

The 34-year-old referee has since returned to Istanbul, ending his historic World Cup selection.

The incident has raised broader concerns regarding how strict U.S. border policies will affect other international participants, fans, and delegations traveling for the tournament.

Critics argue that barring high-profile sports officials risks damaging diplomatic ties and overshadowing the tournament’s message of global unity.