Somali referee Omar Artan says he is devastated after being denied entry to the United States and subsequently ruled out of officiating at the World Cup.
Artan, who was set to become the first Somali official to referee at a World Cup finals, arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday but was refused entry following what he described as an 11-hour immigration interview.
The 2025 CAF Referee of the Year said he was later held in a detention area for several hours before being placed on a flight back to Turkey.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan told the New York Times. “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.”
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that a World Cup referee from Somalia had been denied entry after undergoing additional inspection. Authorities said the traveller was found to be inadmissible due to “vetting concerns” but offered no further explanation.
Artan’s exclusion comes despite FIFA’s previous assurances that tournament participants would be welcomed by the three host nations. However, the governing body confirmed on Monday that he would take no part in the competition after being informed his immigration status would not be changed.
“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,” a spokesperson said.
The decision effectively ends any possibility of Artan working at the tournament, even for matches in Canada or Mexico. FIFA’s refereeing department requires all officials to be based at a central training hub in Miami throughout the competition.
Somalia is among the countries affected by travel restrictions introduced under US President Donald Trump’s administration. Artan believes his nationality may have influenced the decision.
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” he said.
The ruling has drawn criticism from Somali officials, who argued that preventing one of Africa’s leading referees from participating undermines football’s commitment to fairness and merit.
Despite the setback, Artan struck a positive tone in a statement released through FIFA.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he said.
“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup.”
