Nigeria, June 10 -- The Trump administration has explained why Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Artan, one of 52 match officials chosen by FIFA for the tournament, had travelled to Miami for a pre-World Cup training camp when immigration authorities ultimately stopped him and ordered his deportation.

According to a report by The Athletic, the White House said the decision followed additional screening by US border officials after the referee arrived in the country.

A senior administration official told The Athletic: "Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror org...