Somalia's top referee, Omar Artan, will not be allowed to officiate at the World Cup after being refused entry to the USA. Artan was set to become the first referee from Somalia at a World Cup but was forced to fly back to Istanbul after being turned back at Miami International Airport.
Somalia n referee Omar Artan to miss World Cup after US denies 34-year-old a visa to work during tournament; Artan was voted best referee in Africa in 2025, and was set to become first Somali ever to referee at men's World Cup finals.
Africa's top referee will not be allowed to officiate at the World Cup after he was refused entry to the USA, FIFA has confirmed. Omar Artan was set to become the first referee from Somalia at a World Cup but he was forced to fly back to Istanbul after he was turned back at Miami International Airport.
A FIFA spokesperson confirmed Artan, who was named CAF's referee of the year in 2025, would miss out on the tournament, saying 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. Artan believed he had valid visa to work in the US even though Somalia are one of the countries on the US travel ban list.
Explaining their decision, a spokesperson for the the US Customs and Border Protection said Artan had undergone additional inspection on arrival on Saturday as officers looked to determine whether to let him into the country. Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry. Omar is among Africa's most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community.
Denying him entry and preventing him officiating harms not only him personally but also undermines football's commitment to fairness, merit and the spirit of fair play
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