Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan who was due to officiate at the World Cup was denied entry to the US over the weekend and will no longer be able to participate in the tournament, FIFA confirmed Monday.
Artan was traveling from Istanbul to Miami on Saturday to attend a FIFA seminar for match officials ahead of the World Cup. However, he was denied entry upon arrival in the US and was returned to Istanbul on Sunday.
On Monday, a FIFA spokesperson said: “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.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
Separately, US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) told The Athletic that “following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
“All travelers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and vetting. Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with US law.”
Artan was recently named Africa’s Best Referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, organized by the Confederation of African Football. He was set to become the first Somali referee selected to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.
A proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump on June 4, 2025, fully restricts the entry of Somali nationals into the country, stating: “The entry into the United States of nationals of Somalia as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.”
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