Africa’s best referee denied entry to US despite being picked by FIFA for World Cup
In another scandalous event just days before the 2026 World Cup, a highly decorated Somali referee, widely described as Africa's finest, has been denied entry to the United States.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, was turned away at Miami International Airport and put on a return flight to Istanbul. Authorities offered no official explanation for the decision.
The Somali referee had his travel arrangements supported by the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, which provided him with a diplomatic passport to ease visa procedures.
He reportedly traveled from Kenya, connected through Turkey, and landed in Miami, only to be immediately denied entry and sent back unceremoniously.
Just last week, FIFA announced that Artan's visa status had been "fully resolved and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup."
Somalia remains on US President Donald Trump's travel ban list. Last month, he referred to Somali immigrants in America as "crooks," and in January, he labeled Somalia "the worst country in the world," remarks that triggered a massive wave of outrage.
The humiliating treatment meted out to Artan is all the more jarring given his stellar career.
In November, he was named Africa's Best Referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards. A FIFA-listed official since 2018, he has overseen matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, the CAF Champions League (including the 2025 final between Pyramids and Mamelodi Sundowns), and the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
⚽️ Somali referee Omar Artan, appointed by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup, was refused entry into the United States.@presstvsports pic.twitter.com/Ap2CLY27Ii
— Press TV Sports (@presstvsports) June 8, 2026
His selection for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, starts this week. was seen as a major professional breakthrough for him.
AFP cited Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior advisor to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, as saying that US authorities denied Artan's visa, making it impossible for him to offer his services during the tournament.
"Omar Artan is among Africa's most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community," Abshir told AFP.
"Denying him entry to the United States 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."
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud praised him last April when Artan became the first Somali ever selected to officiate at a World Cup finals.
The snub to Artan follows earlier incidents in which members of Iran's support staff were denied US visas, and players were asked to enter US soil only on match days without being permitted to stay overnight.
The Trump administration's shoddy management of the biggest global football spectacle has triggered anger and outrage worldwide, with many fans canceling plans to attend matches.
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