The decision by US authorities to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Artan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has continued to spark debate, with a former adviser in President George Bush’s administration offering a different perspective on the controversy. Artan, who had been selected by FIFA as one of the match officials for
The United States stated that Iran’s World Cup team must leave the US immediately after its game. It instructed Iran to enter and exit US land on the same day of their games and therefore Iran has to train in Mexico instead of its original destination, which was Arizona. Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico,