Tuesday June 9, 2026
For Somalia, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a mixed stage of pride and frustration: while the national team is absent, five people of Somali heritage are still set to feature in football’s showcase event as players and officials. (Photo: Handout)
Miami, US – (AX) — Somalia’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be felt in two very different ways. Several players with Somali roots are preparing to take part in the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been barred from entering the United States and will therefore miss the competition.
Among the players drawing particular attention from Somali fans and diaspora communities are Qatar forward Akram Afif, Saudi Arabia defensive midfielder Mukhtar Ali, Tunisia midfielder Anis Ben Slimane and Sweden winger Taha Ali.
Afif stands out as one of Qatar’s most important attacking figures. Born to a Somali father and a Yemeni mother, he has long been central to Qatar’s rise in regional football, including its Asian Cup successes, and is expected to play a prominent role in the team’s World Cup group-stage campaign.
Ben Slimane, born in Denmark and developed in the Danish system, now represents Tunisia at senior level. The midfielder has played for clubs including Brondby, Sheffield United and Norwich City, and he has been named in Tunisia’s World Cup squad.
Taha Ali, a Sweden winger known for his pace, direct dribbling and constant attacking movement, will also feature at the tournament. Born in Sweden to Somali parents, he has climbed through Swedish football and has become another visible example of the growing number of players with Somali roots competing on the international stage.
Somali heritage is also represented by Mukhtar Ali, who plays for Saudi Arabia internationally. The defensive midfielder, who is of Somali descent, is on the books of Al-Ettifaq FC in the Saudi Pro League. Born in Jeddah, he began his football journey in the youth academy of Chelsea in England.
That sense of celebration is being tempered by the disappointment surrounding Artan’s exclusion.
Artan, regarded as one of Africa’s leading referees, had been selected by FIFA as one of its 52 match officials for the World Cup and was expected to become the first Somali referee to officiate at the tournament.
But after arriving in South Florida on Saturday, he was refused entry by Trump administration authorities, according to the Department of Homeland Security. A spokesperson told Al Jazeera that Artan was found inadmissible because of “vetting concerns,” without offering further explanation.
FIFA confirmed Monday that Artan would not be able to train or work at the World Cup after being denied entry.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
His arrival in the United States indicates he had secured a valid visa before traveling, although U.S. authorities retain the final say on who is allowed to enter at the border.
Somalia is among the countries affected by travel restrictions imposed under President Donald Trump. Those rules have prompted concern among Somali officials and football supporters about whether Somali nationals can fully participate in major international events staged in the United States.
Artan was recently named Africa’s best referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco. His World Cup selection had been hailed in Somalia as a landmark moment for the country’s football scene.
