Somali World Cup referee denied entry to the US

By  OMAR FARUK and EVELYNE MUSAMBIThursday June 11, 2026

For Omar Artan, the road to soccer’s biggest stage seemed to end in triumph. Instead, the Somali referee who was set to become the first from his country to work a World Cup match was turned away at the U.S. border — then returned home to a rousing welcome and a continental honor that underscored his standing across Africa.

Artan, 34, had earned a place on FIFA’s final list of referees for the tournament, a milestone built on years of work in a nation of about 19 million people still rebuilding after decades of instability and civil war. His selection was widely seen in Somalia as a breakthrough, one that carried symbolic weight far beyond the pitch.

But the chance to join fellow World Cup officials at a training base in Miami vanished when U.S. authorities denied him entry. The decision marked an extraordinary moment in modern soccer: a host nation blocking a FIFA-appointed referee from taking part in the tournament it is helping stage, alongside Mexico and Canada.

Back in Mogadishu on Wednesday, after FIFA removed him from its World Cup referee list, Artan was greeted as a hero. He told young people to stay proud of their country, a message that resonated in a place where sport has often offered one of the few shared sources of optimism.

Here is what to know about Artan:

Enlisted as a FIFA referee

Artan became a FIFA referee in 2018 and steadily climbed the international ladder. In January 2024, he made history as the first Somali to officiate at the African Cup of Nations, handling the group match between Tunisia and Namibia.

He later took charge in May of the decisive second leg of the African Champions League final in Morocco, the continent’s premier club competition.

Widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading officials, Artan was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.

How Artan was chosen to officiate the World Cup

FIFA’s process for selecting World Cup referees is lengthy and closely monitored by its refereeing department. Candidates are assessed over several years across international fixtures, continental tournaments and top domestic leagues.

Before reaching the FIFA international list, referees must be put forward by their national federations. From there, they work continental events such as the African Cup of Nations and can then be assigned to FIFA-run competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, the youth World Cup or the Olympics. Artan also officiated at last year’s men’s Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

The officials considered the strongest were invited to preparation camps in 2025 and earlier this year. FIFA announced the final list in April.

Why he was denied entry to the US

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan “was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”

A U.S. official later said the referee had been refused admission because of “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter covered by visa privacy laws.

Somalia is among nearly 40 countries whose citizens are barred from entering under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, and Somali officials said they believed Artan may have been affected by those restrictions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has also made remarks directed at Somali immigrants in the United States and urged them to leave.

Blocking Artan angers fans

FIFA said it had no role in immigration decisions and that, as with previous tournaments, a host government “ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

Even so, a World Cup host country preventing a FIFA-appointed match official from entering remains without precedent.

Social media users reacted with fury to Artan’s case and to similar immigration rulings that have complicated preparations for visiting teams. Online criticism also raised questions about whether the United States is fully prepared to host the global event.

Soccer has grown in Somalia despite challenges

Somalia’s football culture has survived more than 30 years of civil war and political turmoil.

Despite limited resources, soccer remains one of the country’s most popular sports and has gained ground in recent years. The national team has taken part more frequently in regional and international competitions, while domestic leagues have continued even through the country’s darkest periods, often serving as a rare source of unity and hope for young people.

According to the Somali Football Federation, 22 competitions are organized each year, ranging from youth and regional tournaments to the Somali Premier League, the top domestic division that includes 12 clubs. Even as stadiums were damaged, occupied by armed groups or repurposed as military bases, local competition persisted in one form or another.

The rebuilding of Mogadishu Stadium, which can seat about 65,000 spectators, and the return of large crowds to league matches have become powerful signs of Somalia’s slow recovery and of the place soccer continues to hold in the national imagination.

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Musambi reported from Nairobi, Kenya. Associated Press writer Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, and Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed.