Omar Artan was to become the first from his country to referee at the World Cup, but was denied entry to the United States and removed from the tournament.
Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports said it deeply regrets the United States' action and that diplomatic pressure was applied to the United States and the international football federation, FIFA, to try to change the decision, without success.
US authorities said Artan was denied entry because of concerns raised during a background check.
Artan said in a statement that, despite the circumstances, he remains positive and focused on upcoming challenges in his refereeing career, according to ESPN.
