Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the only Somali referee selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has been denied entry into the United States, ending his historic bid to become the first official from Somalia to referee at football’s biggest tournament. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on Monday that the referee was turned away at Miami International Airport on Saturday after arriving on a flight from Istanbul.
CBP said Artan underwent additional inspection upon arrival, describing it as a routine part of its process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility. He was subsequently found inadmissible. “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” a CBP spokesperson said, without providing further details.
FIFA confirmed on Monday that Artan would not be able to participate in the tournament. “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 FIFA spokesperson said. The governing body added that it is not involved in host country immigration processes and that a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted.
Somalia is one of 39 countries listed under the Trump administration’s travel ban executive order, which places restrictions or additional scrutiny on nationals of those countries. CBP did not specify whether the ban was the direct reason for Artan‘s refusal of entry. His arrival in the US had suggested he held a valid visa prior to travel. He was subsequently flown back to Istanbul.
Artan, born in Mogadishu in 1992, became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018. He made history in January 2024 as the first Somali official to referee at the Africa Cup of Nations. He was named the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) top male referee for 2025 and was chosen by CAF as part of a nine-member African contingent, including three referees and six assistant referees, for the World Cup.
In an earlier interview with Al Jazeera conducted in Mogadishu, Artan described his selection as an honour and spoke of the difficulties of officiating in Somalia, where he said he sometimes had to change his route to the local stadium because of explosions in the city. Despite his denial of entry, he struck a measured tone. “Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Somali government officials condemned the decision. Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, told AFP that Artan was among Africa’s most respected referees and deserved the support of the entire football community.
CBP reiterated that all travellers seeking entry into the US, including athletes, coaches and staff, are subject to its inspection and vetting procedures. “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 spokesperson said.
The case is the latest in a series of travel-related controversies surrounding the 2026 World Cup, which the US is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada. Iran’s national team has also faced visa difficulties, and the squad has been required to base itself in Mexico rather than the US, travelling north only for their matches. The tournament kicks off on Thursday with an opening game in Mexico City.
FIFA previously announced a total of 52 referees and 88 assistant referees for the 2026 edition of the tournament, which is the first to feature 48 national teams.
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