Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan is set to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after US authorities denied him entry, in a decision that has turned what was meant to be a historic moment for Somali football into a major immigration controversy days before the tournament begins.
Artan, 34, had been selected among FIFA’s 52 referees for the World Cup and was expected to become the first Somali official to take an on-pitch role at the finals. He arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul over the weekend to attend FIFA’s pre-tournament referees’ programme, but was stopped by border officials despite reportedly holding a valid US visa.
The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Artan was denied entry after being “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns,” according to Al Jazeera. US Customs and Border Protection also said, without naming him, that a Somali national arriving from Istanbul was found inadmissible after routine additional inspection.
CBP did not provide details about the nature of the alleged concerns. The agency said admissibility decisions are made case by case using law enforcement, national security and immigration information available at the time of inspection.
The decision comes amid wider concern over US travel restrictions ahead of the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Somalia is among the countries affected by travel restrictions imposed under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Artan was reportedly questioned for several hours in Miami before being placed on a return flight. He is now in Istanbul and is expected to return to Mogadishu.
FIFA said Artan would be unable to train or officiate at the World Cup and stressed that it had no control over host-country immigration decisions.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications,” the governing body said, adding that it had been informed by authorities that Artan’s status would not be changed at present.
Somalia’s government said it was saddened by the decision and had tried unsuccessfully to work with US and FIFA officials to secure Artan’s entry. The Somali Football Federation said it had not received an official explanation and was seeking clarity from the relevant authorities.
Artan’s exclusion is a significant blow for Somalia, where his World Cup appointment had been celebrated as a national milestone. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had praised him as an inspiration for young people after his selection was announced.
Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018 after rising through the Somali and African game. He became the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024 and was later named Africa’s best male referee by the Confederation of African Football.
He had also taken charge of major continental fixtures, including the African Champions League final second leg between Morocco’s AS FAR and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Speaking before his trip, Artan described the World Cup appointment as the result of years of work and sacrifice.
“Every referee’s ambition is to go to the World Cup,” he told BBC Somali. “When you are selected, you feel that all your hard work was worth it.”
In a statement after the decision, Artan thanked FIFA, CAF and the football community for their support, saying he would keep his refereeing standards high and focus on future competitions.
Africa will now be represented at the tournament by six referees from Algeria, Egypt, Gabon, Mauritania, Morocco and South Africa.