Omar Artan, widely regarded as Africa's finest FIFA referee and selected to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, has been denied entry to the United States over alleged links to terrorism, the Trump administration confirmed.
Denial at Miami Airport
The 34-year-old Somali referee was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Miami International Airport and placed on a return flight to Turkey, where he had been in transit from Kenya. His removal from FIFA's list for the tournament followed.
Speaking to the New York Times, Artan expressed deep disappointment, stating, "I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa."
Government Justification
A Trump administration official justified the decision, saying, "Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered, making the traveller ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act." The official added, "President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country - full stop."
CBP earlier cited vetting concerns, noting that the referee was deemed inadmissible after additional inspection.
Somali Reaction
The Somali government attempted to intervene but failed. The sports ministry called Artan's achievements "a source of honour and pride for the Somali people." The Somali Football Federation (SFF) said it had not received an official explanation and planned to contact FIFA.
Artan received a hero's welcome upon returning to Mogadishu, where hundreds of supporters greeted him. He promised, "God willing, I will attend the next one. I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident."
FIFA's Stance
FIFA confirmed Artan would not officiate at the World Cup, stating it is not involved in host country immigration processes and that a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa.
For Artan, the World Cup represented the pinnacle of his career. "I am very, very disappointed. I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup," he told the NYT.
