Pakistan, June 9 -- The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had arrived in Miami to take part in preparations for the FIFA World Cup, according to US Customs and Border Protection and FIFA officials.

Artan reportedly landed at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday but was deemed inadmissible following what authorities described as "vetting concerns." Officials did not provide further details regarding the decision.

Read more: World Cup delay for Switzerland's Embolo while US reviews travel .

FIFA later confirmed that Artan, a qualified international referee, would no longer participate in the tournament in any capacity. The governing body stated that the decision was entirely unde...