Omar Abdulkadir Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on Saturday on a flight from Istanbul. He was one of 52 referees selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup. He was set to become the first Somali to referee a World Cup match. US Customs and Border Protection subjected him to additional inspection and determined he was inadmissible due to vetting concerns. He was put on a flight back to Istanbul. FIFA confirmed on Monday that Artan will be unable to train or officiate at the World Cup 2026. “FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications,” a spokesperson said. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.” A senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed Artan had been travelling with valid documents. A Somali embassy official said he had been issued a diplomatic passport to help facilitate travel after previous visa-related difficulties. Somalia is on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list. Trump sparked outrage last year when he called Somali immigrants in the United States “garbage”. There are exemptions to the travel ban listing for World Cup athletes and staff, but those exemptions did not apply to Artan. Artan was named Africa’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football in 2025 and had officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. In an interview earlier this year he said it was an honour to appear on football’s biggest stage despite the hardships in Somalia. “At times, I have had to change my route to my local stadium because of explosions in the country,” he said. “You cannot give up as a referee. You have to have a target.” In a statement on Monday, Artan said: “Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career. I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup.” “Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play,” said Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain. The incident is the latest controversy over US immigration policy and the World Cup. Earlier this year, visa confirmations for Iranian athletes arrived only in the final week before the tournament. The US has also declined to give assurances that immigration agents will not conduct raids near stadiums during matches. The World Cup opens on June 11.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan denied entry to USA for FIFA World Cup
