Trending 
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the Somali referee refused entry into the United States after arriving at Miami International Airport on Saturday, has expressed optimism about his future in football officiating.
Football’s governing body, FIFA, confirmed that Artan has been dropped from officiating at the 2026 World Cup following the incident.
“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,” a spokesperson told AFP.
Had he been granted entry, Artan would have become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup.
Somalia is among several countries affected by a travel ban introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
Credit: Reuters
A spokesperson for United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Artan was denied entry following a routine inspection.
“During processing, the traveller underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” the spokesperson said.
“Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
Despite the setback, Artan said he remains focused on his career.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he told AFP.
“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.”
Artan has officiated in the Somali national league since becoming a FIFA referee in 2018 and has also handled matches at the Africa Cup of Nations.
In 2025, he was named Men’s Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football.
