Somali referee barred from World Cup in USA breaks silence
Somalian match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the United States of America authorities denied him entry into the country, has spoken about his dashed hopes of becoming the first referee from Somalia to oversee a match at football’s biggest tournament.
FIFA confirmed that Artan was unable to travel to the United States over the weekend and, as a result, will not take part in officiating duties or tournament preparations ahead of the World Cup, which begins on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
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The Somali government revealed that efforts to secure Artan’s entry through discussions with both U.S. officials and FIFA did not succeed. Officials expressed disappointment over the outcome, highlighting the significance of Artan’s achievements for the country.
“His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people,” Somalia’s sports ministry said in a statement.
On the stalemate, FIFA emphasised that immigration decisions are handled solely by host nations and that the governing body has no authority over visa approvals or entry requirements.
According to a FIFA, the organisation “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,”.
However, the specific match Artan had been assigned to officiate has not been publicly identified.
Artan still optimistic
Despite the setback, Artan remained optimistic and thanked football authorities for their backing throughout the process.
“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said, as per Reuters.
Meanwhile, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that a Somali citizen arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday was refused admission after officials raised concerns during the screening process. The agency did not provide detailed reasons but noted that the individual underwent additional inspection before the final decision was made.
“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP said.
The incident has renewed attention on U.S. immigration policies ahead of the World Cup. The administration of President Donald Trump has faced criticism over strict border and visa measures, including a broad travel ban introduced last year that affects citizens from 12 nations, among them Somalia.
Media reports indicated that Artan, who was recognised as CAF’s Best Male Referee in 2025, possessed a valid U.S. visa despite ultimately being denied entry.
His absence means Somalia will miss out on a landmark moment at the World Cup, while efforts continue behind the scenes to see whether the decision can still be reversed before the tournament gets underway.
