The Trump administration denied entry to Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan ahead of the World Cup opening match in Mexico City, according to reports from the Independent on Wednesday.
US officials labeled Artan, who was named Africa's referee of the year in 2025, a national security threat despite him holding a valid visa.
The administration claimed his exclusion stems from suspected ties to individuals linked to terror organizations.
FIFA confirmed that Artan would no longer officiate at the tournament.
The visa denial has sparked criticism regarding FIFA's handling of the situation and its adherence to organizational rules.
Chief football writer Miguel Delaney highlighted that the governing body faces significant scrutiny over its response to the host nation's intervention.
Meanwhile, the England national team concluded tournament preparations in Florida amid fitness concerns for winger Bukayo Saka.
Manager Thomas Tuchel expressed caution regarding Saka's persistent Achilles injury, which forced the player to manage his workload and miss recent training sessions after a demanding domestic season with Arsenal.
The tournament setup also saw Scotland captain Andy Robertson share a commemorative message from the widow of his late former teammate Diogo Jota.
FIFA published the letter written by Rute Cardoso as Scotland prepares for its first World Cup appearance since November qualification.
"Diogo often spoke of you.
Of the friendship you built, the battles you fought together, the challenges, the laughter, the conversations about football...
and about dreams," wrote Rute Cardoso, the mother of Jota's three children.
Cardoso expressed gratitude to Robertson for honoring her late husband's memory through Scotland's qualification achievement.
"The World Cup was one of those dreams, a dream that the two of you nurtured, side by side, with the same passion with which you took to the pitch," she wrote.
The letter described how Jota's presence remains tied to Robertson's upcoming World Cup campaign.
"When I heard your words and learnt what you felt on that day when Scotland qualified for the World Cup, after so many years of waiting, I realised that Diogo never truly left the pitch," Cardoso wrote.
Cardoso noted that Robertson carries the shared dream of both players onto the international stage.
"By achieving that moment and securing your place at the World Cup, you won't be going alone. You'll be taking his dream with you too.
And when you step on to the pitch, I know it won't just be you walking out.
Diogo will be with you in your thoughts, in your steps, in your heart," she wrote.
Cardoso closed her letter by thanking the Scotland captain for transforming their grief into a meaningful tribute. "So today, I want to thank you.
Thank you for not forgetting him. Thank you for taking him with you.
Thank you for turning the pain of loss into strength and into something so beautiful," she wrote.
In other team updates, England players participated in a recreational round of golf with major champion Brooks Koepka at their training base.
Security officials also confirmed that a recent shooting incident in Kansas City occurred approximately five miles from England's secondary base camp while the squad was stationed in Florida.
