News Focus
- Omar Artan was set to become the first Somali referee at the World Cup finals
- US border officers blocked his entry at Miami International Airport
- FIFA has removed him from the list of 52 tournament officials
- Somali officials insist he carried valid diplomatic papers
- The White House supports the decision to deny him access
Omar Artan was preparing to make history. The Somali official was set to become the first referee from his country to officiate at the FIFA World Cup finals. However, his dream has ended early.
United States border officers stopped Artan at Miami International Airport. They refused to let him enter the country. The official now stays in Turkey.
Artan recently won the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) award for the best male referee. He was among 52 match officials chosen for the tournament in North America.
The United States government has not explained why they blocked Artan. Somalia sits on a travel ban list created by President Donald Trump’s administration.
FIFA released a statement confirming the bad news. The world governing body said Artan cannot train or officiate at the World Cup 2026.
“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,” the statement read.
Football’s governing body explained they do not control visa decisions. Host countries make these choices alone.
“Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications,” the statement continued. “In line with previous Fifa events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
Somali officials disagree with the decision. A senior adviser from the country’s ministry of youth and sports told the BBC that Artan carried correct documents.
A representative from the Somali embassy in Nairobi also spoke to the BBC. They explained that officials gave Artan a special diplomatic passport. They hoped this would solve earlier visa problems.
The Somali Football Federation has asked FIFA for immediate answers about the situation.
Andrew Giuliani leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup. He defended the actions of the border officers. He told the BBC World Service he could not share private details about the case. However, he stated the decision was correct. “I support that decision,” he added.
Artan started his international career in 2018. He has previously refereed matches at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The World Cup 2026 takes place across Canada, Mexico and the United States from 11 June to 19 July.