2026 World cup: US cites security concerns for barring Somali referee

By Lawrence Agbo
The White House task force overseeing preparations for the 2026 World Cup has defended the United States’ decision to deny entry to a Somali referee and several support staff linked to the Iranian national team, insisting the move was driven by security considerations rather than sporting bias.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the World Cup task force, said the U.S. has already received 35 participating teams without incident and has not blocked any players or coaches.
“No players, no coaches have been denied,” said Andrew Giuliani. “There have been some officials that have been denied, and for...