Somali referee Omar Artan barred from World Cup due to US entry ban

Omar Artan, a Somali referee who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, was removed from the list of officials after he was denied entry into the United States. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, faced the ban upon arriving at Miami International Airport and is currently located in Turkey.

No official reason for Artan’s repatriation was provided by US immigration authorities. However, Somalia remains one of the several countries included in a travel ban initiated by President Donald Trump's administration. After consulting with US authorities, FIFA confirmed that Artan would miss the tournament. A FIFA statement indicated, "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 clarified that it is not involved in immigration processes of the host country, including visa adjudications, and noted that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's situation would not change at this time. According to FIFA, a host government ultimately decides who receives a visa and is allowed entry into the country.

A senior advisor from Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed to the BBC that Artan had been travelling with valid documentation. An official from the Somali embassy in Nairobi also informed the BBC that Artan's diplomatic passport had been issued specifically to facilitate his travel after experiencing prior visa issues. The Somali Football Federation (SFF) reached out to FIFA to seek urgent clarification regarding the matter.

Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, commented to the BBC World Service, "While I can't provide details on the derogatory information, I can affirm that it was the correct decision by customs and border patrol, and I stand by that choice."

Artan was among 52 referees designated by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup finals scheduled to occur in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19, 2026. He has been a FIFA referee since 2018 and previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).