Somali referee dropped from World Cup after U.S. entry denial

Omar Abdulkadir Artan was poised to make World Cup history as the first Somali to referee at the finals. Instead, U.S. Customs and Border Protection turned him away at Miami International Airport after he arrived from Istanbul, removing him from FIFA’s list of 52 referees just days before the tournament’s opening match.

Customs officials said Artan was denied entry after additional inspection and was found “inadmissible due to vetting concerns.” FIFA said it had been informed that his status “will not be changed at present,” and that he would be unable to train or officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 unless his immigration status changes. The governing body also said that, as in previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately decides who receives a visa and who is admitted.

The case has sharpened scrutiny of how the United States handles entry decisions while serving as a host of the 2026 World Cup, which it will stage with Mexico and Canada. Artan’s exclusion is being described as the first known instance of a World Cup referee being barred from entry by U.S. immigration authorities, a precedent that reaches beyond one official. If a top match official can be stopped at the airport, the same process could shape the movement of athletes, team staff and supporters from countries facing heightened screening or restrictions.

That concern is especially pointed because Somalia is among the countries facing increased U.S. scrutiny under President Donald Trump’s travel regime. The tension is institutional as much as personal: FIFA needs dependable access for its tournament workforce, while U.S. agencies are applying border and security rules that can override sporting plans. The result is a collision between the practical demands of a global event and the legal authority of the host state.

Artan, who previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations and CAF Champions League matches, had built a reputation across African football and was named Africa’s Best Referee by the Confederation of African Football in 2025. Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, said Artan was “among Africa’s most respected referees” and said the decision undermined football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and fair play. For FIFA, the episode is a stark reminder that its choices are only as secure as the border rules of the countries that stage its tournament.