News Focus
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan was set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup finals
- US immigration officials blocked his entry at Miami airport following an 11-hour interview
- He held a valid visa and diplomatic passport but was returned to Turkey
- FIFA confirmed he cannot officiate at the 2026 tournament due to the entry denial
- The incident adds to growing concerns about organisational chaos at the World Cup
Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been refused entry to the United States just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The official was travelling to Miami to take part in the tournament.
Artan was due to make history as the first Somali national to referee at a World Cup final stage. However, immigration officers at Miami International Airport stopped him upon arrival. He faced questioning for 11 hours. After that, officers placed him in a holding cell for several more hours. They then put him on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey.
The match official insists he carried all required documents. “I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan told the New York Times. He also held a special diplomatic passport. The Somali government issued this document to help him travel after earlier visa problems.
World football governing body FIFA released a statement about the incident. They confirmed Artan will not train or officiate at the tournament. FIFA said they do not control immigration decisions made by host countries. They added that US authorities told them Artan’s situation will not change.
The reason for the denial remains unclear. However, Somalia appears on a list of countries facing travel restrictions under President Donald Trump’s administration. In December, Trump told reporters he did not want Somali immigrants entering the US.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the decision. Speaking to BBC World Service, he said the choice by customs and border patrol was correct, though he could not share specific details about the case.
Artan cannot simply wait outside the US and officiate matches in Canada or Mexico. FIFA rules require all match officials to stay at a training centre in Miami. Referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina established this base for the tournament’s 52 referees and 88 assistant referees.
The incident follows other problems for the tournament. Iran’s football federation reported that authorities revoked their fans’ tickets for group matches. Former England striker Ian Wright described the event as a “World Cup of chaos” on social media. He criticised the treatment of fans, players, and officials.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.