According to Associated Press, FIFA has officially removed Somali referee Omar Artan from the World Cup roster after he was denied entry into the United States at Miami International Airport. Artan was set to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the tournament.
The situation happened on Saturday when he arrived to join his colleagues at their training base. He was turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. It is very rare for a FIFA-appointed match official to be blocked from a host country. The Somalia Embassy in Kenya confirmed that Artan was given a visa just last week, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection said he was found inadmissible because of vetting concerns.
The agency noted that all travelers, including World Cup staff and players, go through these inspections. According to the official statement, “During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.”
U.S. border officials cite routine vetting while Somalia’s government questions the broader screening rules
The agency further said, “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.” The Somalia Youth and Sports Ministry expressed frustration on Tuesday, saying they had not received a clear explanation for the denial.
Isse Aden Abshir, a senior adviser at the ministry, suggested the decision might be linked to wider screening measures affecting several African nations, rather than any specific wrongdoing by Artan. Somalia has been subject to new travel restrictions under the current administration.
This has raised ongoing concerns that officials and players from affected countries could face these kinds of obstacles even when they hold valid documents. The tournament has faced other organizational issues too, including a glitch that gave fans free tickets before asking them to pay.
FIFA confirmed it was not involved in the immigration process and said that U.S. authorities told them Artan’s status would not be changed. In its official response, FIFA said, “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have worked closely with President Donald Trump’s government to help the tournament run smoothly. Fans have also raised concerns about a safety rule that could cause delays during matches.
For Artan, this is a hard outcome after a strong career. He was named Africa’s best male referee in 2025 and recently officiated the African Champions League final. He had previously spoken about the major challenges of training in Mogadishu, where he often had to change his route to avoid explosions in the city. Despite the setback, Artan shared a statement through FIFA.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he said. He added, “I would like to thank FIFA and (the African soccer confederation) 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 and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue are reportedly ongoing, but Artan will not take part in the tournament, which is scheduled to open on Thursday, June 11, 2026. It marks the end of a historic journey for one of Africa’s top officials.
Published: Jun 9, 2026 01:15 pm