2026 World Cup: Somali referee banned from entering the United States and deprived of tournament

The dream of Omar Artan, Somali referee selected for the 2026 World Cup, abruptly ended upon his arrival at Miami airport. Expected among the 52 referees hand-picked by FIFA for the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, he was refused entry to American soil following a routine check carried out by the American immigration services (CBP). FIFA confirmed on Monday that the referee will ultimately not be able to participate in the tournament this summer.

Omar Artan, named best African referee of the year 2025 by CAF, was to become the first Somali official to officiate at the World Cup. But upon his arrival on Saturday from Istanbul, he was detained and questioned for 11 hours by immigration officials despite having presented all his documents, including his visa and certificates issued by FIFA. According to Artan, who spoke from Istanbul, “I had all the necessary papers. I had the correct visa. I think they have a problem with my country,” he explained, announcing his upcoming return to Somalia.

In a press release, the CBP did not specify the exact reason for this refusal, simply citing “concerns during verification” and recalling that each admission decision is made on a case-by-case basis, according to American law. Somalia is among the countries affected by travel restrictions adopted by the Trump administration.

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The chairman of the White House task force on the World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, cited “very good reasons” justifying this ban, saying he wanted to prevent “undesirable people” from accessing American territory.

FIFA, for its part, recalled in a press release that it is not involved in migration decisions and that only the host government has authority over admissions: “Referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the 2026 World Cup, after being turned away when entering the United States. »

This affair arouses indignation in the world of football. Piara Power, executive director of the FARE network, committed to the fight against discrimination, denounces a visa policy deemed discriminatory: "Never has a FIFA referee been so refused upon arrival for a World Cup... Even before the kick-off, this World Cup no longer resembles the universal celebration of football that we expected. »

A FIFA referee since 2018, Omar Artan has notably officiated at the African Cup of Nations and in the Somali national championship. Despite this disappointment, he says he remains “positive and focused on his next professional challenges”.