Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Africa's top referee and Somalia's first to be selected for the World Cup final phase, was excluded from the tournament due to being denied entry into the United States. Artan, who was turned away at Miami International Airport, is currently in Turkey.
Artan, 34, is one of Africa's most important referees. He was included in FIFA's list of international referees in 2018 and officiated the 2025 African Champions League final. This year, he served as a member of the refereeing committee and led the officials' team in the same competition's final.
US immigration authorities have not disclosed the reason for Artan's deportation. However, Somalia is one of the countries listed in the travel ban issued by the Trump administration. After discussions with US authorities, FIFA confirmed that Artan would not be able to officiate at this year's World Cup.
FIFA stated, 'Due to the denial of entry into the United States, match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to perform training and match management duties at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA has no role in the immigration processes, visa approvals or rejections of the host country. The relevant authorities have informed us that Artan's situation will not change for the time being.'
The statement added, 'As in previous editions, the final decision on whether an individual will receive a visa and be allowed to enter the country rests with the government of the host country.'
A senior advisor to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed to the BBC that Omar Artan was not allowed to enter the United States. He stated that Artan was traveling with valid travel documents.
An official from the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, told the BBC that a diplomatic passport was specially issued for Artan to facilitate his travel due to previous visa complications.
The Somali Football Federation (SFF) has already contacted FIFA to seek an urgent explanation regarding the incident.
In an interview with BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said, 'I cannot provide detailed information on negative or confidential information regarding this matter. However, I can say that the decision by Customs and Border Protection was correct, and I support that decision.'
In a statement to AFP, Artan said he now wants to focus on the future. Artan said, 'Despite the situation I am going through, I remain positive and am focusing on the next challenges in my refereeing career.'
Artan further stated, 'Thank you to everyone in the football family who has sent messages of support and well wishes. My best wishes go out to my colleagues who are going to officiate at the World Cup. I look forward to working with them again in future competitions.'
Artan was one of 52 referees selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup final phase. The World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will take place from June 11 to July 19 next year.
