World Cup: First Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry into US

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to make history as the first official from his country to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, has reportedly been denied entry into the United States ahead of the tournament.

According to the BBC on Monday, Artan was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and has since been returned to Turkey.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on June 11.

Artan’s exclusion comes just days before the start of the competition after FIFA named him among the 52 match officials selected to officiate at the tournament, a landmark achievement that would have seen him become the first Somali referee to work at football’s biggest event.

No official reason has been provided by US immigration authorities for the decision.

However, the development has attracted attention because Somalia is among several countries affected by travel restrictions introduced under the administration of US President Donald Trump, according to the BBC.

Artan has enjoyed a rapid rise in African football officiating in recent years. A FIFA-accredited referee since 2018, he has handled matches at the Africa Cup of Nations and other major continental competitions.

His growing reputation was further recognised in 2025 when he was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year.

The Somali official also works in the country’s national football league and had been expected to represent Somalia on the global stage at the World Cup.

Neither FIFA nor US authorities had issued any further public statement on the matter at the time of filing this report.

With the tournament set to kick off this week, uncertainty now surrounds whether Artan will be able to take up his appointment and fulfil what would have been a historic milestone for Somali football.

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