Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States ahead of the World Cup and has returned to Istanbul, according to a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Ciise Aden Abshir told AFP that Artan, who had been selected to officiate at the tournament, was stopped at Miami International Airport despite holding a valid US visa. He said it was not immediately clear why Artan had been barred from entering the country.
Abshir said Artan had flown back to Istanbul, where he had been staying, and described him as one of Africa’s most respected referees. He added that preventing Artan from officiating would undermine football’s commitment to fairness and merit.
Artan had been set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup finals tournament, according to AFP. He was among the officials named by FIFA for the competition and has previously officiated in the Somali league, at the 2023 African Cup of Nations, and was named men’s referee of the year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football.
The reason for the refusal has not been formally confirmed. Reports cited by AFP noted that Somalia is among the countries affected by a US travel ban introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.
There has been no immediate public statement from FIFA or US authorities setting out whether Artan will be allowed to enter in time to take part in the tournament.