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4w ago

U.S. Denies Entry to Somali World Cup Referee, Blocking His Participation

The denial followed a routine Customs and Border Protection inspection and highlights that FIFA cannot override host-country immigration decisions

Referee Omar Artan signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns in Rabat, Morocco, on May 24.
Referee Omar Artan officiates an AFCON Group F match between Gabon and Ivory Coast at Marrakech Stadium in Morocco on Dec. 31.
People gather to welcome referee Omar Artan at the Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday. Reuters
Somali referee Omar Artan (R) received the full support of Somalia's Ministry of Sport after he was barred from entering the US

Overview

  • Omar Artan was refused entry to the United States at Miami International Airport and FIFA confirmed he will not be able to train or officiate at the 2026 World Cup.
  • Artan had been named one of 52 head referees for the tournament and was celebrated as the first Somali selected and CAF’s 2025 men's referee of the year.
  • Somalia’s Ministry of Sports said diplomatic engagement with U.S. authorities and FIFA failed to change the outcome and expressed deep regret while the Somali Football Federation says it has received no official explanation.
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection told reporters the decision followed a routine inspection and FIFA and CAF said they cannot intervene in host-country visa or entry rulings.
  • The case has provoked public outrage in Somalia, prompted fundraising and solidarity actions, and raised questions about the effect of a 2025 White House proclamation that suspended entry for Somalia on security grounds.