A World Cup referee has been removed from the tournament’s officiating roster after being denied entry to the United States.
Somali match official Omar Artan had been selected to take part in the soccer tournament following a standout period in his career, which included being named the Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the year in 2025.
Artan landed at Miami International Airport on Saturday (June 6) after travelling from Istanbul, but was not allowed to enter the country.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not initially give a public reason for the decision. Somalia is among the countries affected by a travel ban list brought in under Donald Trump.
A CBP spokesperson said: “On June 6, a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul International Airport. During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.
“Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.
“All travelers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and vetting. Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection.
“CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”
FIFA later contacted US officials over the matter, but has now confirmed Artan will not be able to work at the World Cup because he will not be admitted to the United States.
“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 soccer governing body said in a statement.
“Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.”
The organization also said entry decisions are handled by the host nation, rather than FIFA, including whether someone ‘is admitted into their country’.
Although he has been blocked from entering the US, Artan told Reuters he remains in a ‘positive mood’ and is now concentrating on the ‘next challenges in my refereeing career’.
He added: “I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future.
“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup & I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”