The Somali referee headed to the World Cup then turned away was denied entry into the United States over a possible tie to terrorism, a Trump administration official claimed to Fox News.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, made it to Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was refused entrance into the country by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

“Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA),” the statement read, Fox News reported Wednesday.

“The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA. President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country – full stop.”

Artan was named 2025 Male Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football and would have been the first-ever Somali referee to take charge of a match at the World Cup.

Fox reported Artan had been issued a visa to enter the United States last week, citing the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it.

–Field Level Media

A potential strike by SoFi Stadium workers, ahead of the United States’ World Cup opening match at the venue Friday, was averted when an estimated 2,000 employees reached a tentative agreement Tuesday through their union.

The union representing hospitality workers at the stadium in Inglewood, Calif., had voted to authorize a strike last Friday, a week before the United States men’s national team was set to play against Paraguay.

Mostly composed of concessions workers as well as cashiers, dishwashers, bartenders and food attendants, the union had voted 96% in favor of the strike, which had been looming for the last few months since the existing deal with stadium operators Legends Global expired.

The new agreement earned workers a 40% pay increase for concession stands attendants and also has a clause allowing workers to walk off the job if the union believes that the presence of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creates a “reasonable apprehension of harm to the safety and security of workers,” The Athletic reported.

The agreement, which the union announced at a news conference, still has to be ratified by workers on Wednesday.

Kurt Peterson, co-president of the union, said the agreement will make the venue’s concessions workers the highest paid at NFL stadiums, according to a report in The Athletic, with most earning “more than $40 per hour, and many of them significantly more than that.”

Workers also will be able to earn “premium pay for mega-events, including all eight World Cup games,” Peterson told The Athletic.

SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host two of the United States’ three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (Friday) and Turkey (June 25), as well as three tournament knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.

The venue is the home of both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the NFL. It also is slated to be a co-host for the Opening Ceremonies during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the home for the swimming competitions.

The new agreement lasts until April 30, 2028, giving the union leverage for renegotiations before the Olympics begin.

–Field Level Media

The Texas Rangers activated right-handed reliever Cole Winn from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after he was sidelined since May 23 by arm fatigue.

Winn, 26, takes the spot on the 26-man roster vacated by right-hander Luis Curvelo, who was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.

Winn allowed two runs on two hits in a third of an inning of his most recent outing that came during a 5-2 loss to the host Los Angeles Angels. He exited the game after three batters with fatigue and soreness in his right shoulder.

In 22 appearances this season, he is 2-1 with one save, a 5.59 ERA, seven walks and 23 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.

In 68 career relief appearances, Winn is 2-3 with one save, a 3.91 ERA, 28 walks and 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.

Texas made Winn the 15th overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Curvelo, 25, had a scoreless inning Sunday in the Rangers’ 10-0 victory over the visiting Guardians. He has a 4.91 ERA, two walks and four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings over seven relief appearances.

He was on the 15-day injured list with a right biceps strain from April 15 to May 19.

In 24 career relief appearances since 2025, Curvelo is 1-1 with a 5.47 ERA over 26 1/3 innings

–Field Level Media