Somali Referee Omar Artan Ruled Out of 2026 World Cup After US Entry Denial
The 2025 CAF Referee of the Year will miss the World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.
- Omar Artan denied entry to the US.
- FIFA confirms World Cup exclusion.
- Artan was set to make history for Somalia.
Somali referee Omar Artan has been removed from the list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.
Artan, who was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals, was turned away upon arrival at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey.
The 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year has not been given an official reason for the decision by US immigration authorities. However, Somalia is among several countries affected by travel restrictions introduced by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
In a statement, FIFA confirmed that Artan would be unable to participate in the tournament following the immigration decision.
“FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States,” the governing body said.
FIFA noted that immigration and visa decisions fall under the authority of the host nation and are beyond the organisation’s control.
The tournament’s refereeing programme requires all selected officials to be based at a training hub in Miami, established by FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina. The facility serves as the central location for training, preparation, and security arrangements for the competition’s 52 referees and 88 assistant referees.
As a result, Artan would not have been able to participate in the tournament even if assigned exclusively to matches in Canada or Mexico.
A senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the incident, stating that Artan had travelled with valid documentation. A Somali embassy official in Nairobi also indicated that he had been issued a diplomatic passport to facilitate his travel after previous visa-related challenges.
Despite the setback, Artan expressed optimism in comments to Reuters, saying he remains positive and focused on future opportunities.
Artan has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2018 and is regarded as one of Africa’s leading match officials.
