US Entry Refusal Ends Somali Referee’s World Cup Hopes

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Somali referee Omar Artan has expressed disappointment after being denied entry into the United States, a decision that has ended his hopes of officiating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025, was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals.

Speaking to The New York Times, Artan said he could not understand why he was refused entry despite having what he described as valid travel documents.

“I am very, very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup,” he said.

According to Artan, he underwent an immigration interview lasting about 11 hours at Miami International Airport before being denied entry.

“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” he said.

The referee said he was later held for several hours before being placed on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey.

US immigration authorities have not publicly disclosed the reason for the decision. However, Somalia is among countries affected by travel restrictions introduced under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

In a statement, FIFA confirmed that Artan would not be able to officiate at the tournament.

“FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States,” the organisation said.

FIFA added that it is not involved in immigration decisions and had been informed that Artan’s status would not be changed.

The decision means Artan will miss the World Cup despite matches also being hosted in Canada and Mexico. FIFA requires all selected referees and assistant referees to attend training and preparation sessions in Miami before and during the tournament.

Meanwhile, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the decision, saying US Customs and Border Protection had made the right call.

Artan, however, suggested that his nationality may have influenced the outcome.

“I think that they have a problem with my country,” he said.

The incident has sparked debate within football circles and raised concerns about travel and visa issues ahead of the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19.

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