Photo credit: Times Now
Members of Senegal’s national football team appeared to undergo strict security checks after arriving in the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a video circulating on social media.
Times Now World reports that the footage was shared on X by African football journalist Micky Jnr. It appeared to show several Senegal players standing on an airport tarmac near their luggage shortly after disembarking from their flight and before entering the terminal.
In the video, security personnel can be seen conducting inspections while players wait alongside their bags. One scene shows a player standing with his arms outstretched as a staff member appears to screen him with a hand-held device.
As of Tuesday, there had been no official statement from Senegalese football authorities, FIFA or US officials regarding the footage.
In a related vein, a Somali referee, Omar Artan, had earlier been denied entry into the United States despite being scheduled to officiate at the World Cup.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said a Somali national arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday was denied entry following an inspection process. Although CBP did not identify the individual by name, Artan is the only World Cup referee from Somalia.
FIFA later confirmed that Artan would not be able to train or officiate at the tournament.
CBP said the referee underwent additional inspection as part of a routine process before being deemed inadmissible due to vetting concerns.
