Somali referee denied U.S. entry, will miss World Cup debut
"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," the spokesperson said.
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.
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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 informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” the spokesperson said.
Artan said in a statement that he remained upbeat despite the setback and was looking ahead to the next stage of his refereeing career.
“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.
“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, without identifying Artan by name, said a Somali national arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday was found inadmissible because of vetting concerns.
The agency did not specify those concerns, but said the referee was subject to routine extra inspection before being turned away. “Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP said.
The episode comes against the backdrop of tighter U.S. immigration rules that have raised concern ahead of the World Cup. Last year, Washington imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia.
Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football’s Best Male Referee for 2025, had a valid visa, according to media reports. Somalia’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Kristina Cooke, Frank Pingue, Ismail Shakil and Rory Carroll; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Rosalba O’Brien and
