The Department of Homeland Security defended its decision to deny a visa to a Somali football referee scheduled to officiate World Cup matches in the United States.
Agency spokespeople said the refusal followed standard security reviews and that they cannot discuss individual immigration files publicly.
FIFA’s referees committee must now assign replacement officials for fixtures that the Somali official was slated to handle.
Human rights groups argued the denial underscores inconsistent entry policies for sports delegations from conflict-affected nations.
Legal scholars said visa denials for accredited tournament personnel are rare but not unprecedented when background checks raise flags.
DHS maintained that border rules apply equally regardless of sporting credentials.
CONCACAF referees assigned to the same matchweek received credentials without incident, highlighting uneven outcomes across confederations.
The referee had passed FIFA fitness tests in Zurich before visa applications stalled at a U.S. consulate in Nairobi.
Sports law professors said tournament agreements require host nations to facilitate entry for accredited officials barring individualized security threats.
FIFA said it is working with U.S. authorities to resolve remaining visa issues for accredited match officials, emphasizing that staffing shortages could force last-minute reassignment if appeals fail.
Immigration attorneys representing the Somali referee said they would file a motion for reconsideration citing FIFA’s formal accreditation letter submitted with the original visa application.
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Sources:
https://www.ndtv.com/topic/world