World Cup 2026: Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry to US

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, has been denied entry to the United States and sent back to Istanbul.

This has dealt a devastating blow to his historic appointment as the first Somali to officiate at football's biggest tournament.

Artan, named the 2025 CAF Men's Referee of the Year, was turned away at Miami International Airport over the weekend. According to reports, Artan held a valid US visa and was travelling on a diplomatic passport obtained with support from the Somali embassy in Nairobi.

No official reason has been issued by US immigration authorities, but Somalia is among several countries on a travel ban list introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration. Trump had previously referred to Somalia as a "rotting country" and sought to end special protections for Somali citizens in the US.

"Omar Artan is among Africa's most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community," Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior advisor to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports, told AFP.

"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," Abshir added.

Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018 and officiated at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria. He was selected as one of 52 referees to officiate at the World Cup, which runs from June 12 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

His denial follows a pattern of travel complications affecting tournament personnel, including Iranian players and officials who faced visa issues and Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein, who was detained for hours at a Chicago airport.