Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali match official selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has been barred from entering the United States despite possessing valid travel documents and a proper visa.
The referee arrived at Miami International Airport on Saturday, five days ahead of the tournament’s opening fixture, but was refused admission by border authorities.
Artan would have made history as the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup match. He was among 52 officials chosen globally and one of seven representing African football.
“I am very, very disappointed,” Artan told The New York Times from Istanbul.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan was detained for 11 hours after arriving in the United States
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“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
The referee was taken aside upon arrival and subjected to questioning in a small room that lasted through the night. Over the course of 11 hours, border officials interrogated him about Somali politics, including numerous questions regarding Al Shabab, the militant group waging an insurgency against the Somali government.
Artan presented FIFA documentation and photographs from his decade-long career, while officials also reviewed online material about his background. He was named Africa’s best referee in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football.
Following the interview, he was held in a separate cell for several more hours before being placed on a flight to Istanbul.
US Customs and Border Protection stated the referee “was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns” but offered no specific explanation.
Somalia’s Ministry of Sports issued a statement on Tuesday expressing “deep regret” at the decision, noting that diplomatic efforts with both US authorities and FIFA had failed to secure a positive resolution.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was one of seven African referees picked to work at the World Cup
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The government declared its “unwavering support” for Artan, affirming “full confidence in his integrity, professionalism, and continued contribution to the advancement of football both in Somalia and internationally”.
Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and former national team captain, urged the football community to stand behind the official.
“Denying him entry to the US and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play,” Abshir said.
Artan was one of 52 referees announced by Fifa to officiate at the World Cup | GETTY
Somalia remains on a list of countries subject to travel restrictions implemented by the Trump administration as part of broader immigration measures.
The president has previously made inflammatory remarks about Somali immigrants, describing them as “garbage” during a White House address in December and claiming Somalia was “not even a country”.
Artan is not the only World Cup participant to encounter difficulties entering the host nation.
Iranian players received their visas following months of uncertainty stemming from the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, though more than a dozen members of the team’s support staff were refused entry.
