By Ali HarbTuesday June 9, 2026 Referee Omar Artan signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final in in Rabat, Morocco, on May 24 Washington has barred a leading Somali referee from entering the United States just as he was preparing for the FIFA World Cup, intensifying scrutiny of American travel restrictions and their possible effect on the tournament. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Al Jazeera on Monday that Omar Artan was stopped after landing in South Florida on Saturday. Artan, who is listed…

"I was Questioned for 11 Hours": Somali Referee Omar Artan Speaks Out After U.S. Entry Denial MIAMI, June 9, 2026  – What was meant to be a career-defining trip to the World Cup instead ended at Miami International Airport, where Somali referee Omar Artan says he was detained, questioned for 11 hours and ultimately denied entry to the United States over concerns tied to his country’s politics and militancy. Artan,…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 U.S. authorities over the weekend barred Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from entering the country, derailing plans for him to become the first Somali official to work a World Cup match. A FIFA spokesperson said Monday that Artan will not be able to attend the training and officiating program for the tournament, which begins Thursday, after he was denied entry into the United States. "FIFA is ​not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has ​been…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey’s effort to mediate Somalia’s political deadlock has run into fresh resistance, with technical disputes and widening foreign pressure slowing progress in the talks, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The discussions had been expected to move forward this week with a meeting of technical committees drawn from the opposition and the federal government, after both sides had already reached a preliminary understanding. But disagreement over which political actors should be officially…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports voiced deep regret Tuesday after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the United States just as he was expected to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In a statement, the ministry said the Somali government is closely following Artan’s case and is pursuing diplomatic channels in search of a swift resolution. The ministry said it is working with relevant agencies, describing Artan as a symbol of the progress made by Somali…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, blocking him from traveling to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. / AFP The Somali Football Federation said on Tuesday it was deeply disappointed after international referee Omar Artan was refused entry to the US, preventing him from taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The federation said it had not been given any formal explanation for the decision, but urged restraint until the full circumstances are known. “We acknowledge the…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Concerns over secrecy at the ballot box and outside interference surfaced on Monday as two candidates in the Southwest State presidential race formally complained to the electoral commission about the conduct of the upcoming vote. Former Southwest President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Dr. Abdiasis Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari said they had received reports that some lawmakers were being told to take photographs of their ballot papers and show how they voted. The pair said such an…

MOGADISHU, June 9 — Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has broken his silence after being refused entry to the United States, saying the rejection wiped out the biggest ambition of his career and denied Somalia a landmark role at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking to The New York Times, Artan said taking part in football’s premier tournament would have meant more than a personal victory; in his view, it would have been a moment of pride for an entire nation. “I had the right papers and everything required for…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Violence hit two World Cup host cities just days before kickoff, leaving six people stabbed in New York and nine others injured in Kansas City and sharpening questions about security for the tournament’s opening weekend. Blood and used medical items remain at the scene of a stabbing in Penn Station on June 7, 2026 in New York City The separate attacks, both in the United States, have added to growing unease as fans prepare to descend on venues across the country for the World Cup, which begins in three…

By Aki NaceTuesday June 9, 2026 A Somali-born immigrant in Minnesota is among 17 people the Trump administration is pursuing in its newest denaturalization drive. The U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota on Wednesday filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Abdikadir Kadiye. The case accuses him of multiple violations, including illegal procurement of naturalization and obtaining citizenship by concealing a material fact. Starting in 1997, Kadiye tried to enter the United States by filing two separate…