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Omar Artan, an award-winning Somali referee, has been pulled from refereeing at the World Cup after being prevented from entering the United States, FIFA announced Monday.
A FIFA official stated in a statement that Artan, who was denied entrance to the US after arriving at Miami International Airport on Saturday, would not participate in the World Cup.
Artan would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup.
“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,” the spokesperson told AFP.
FIFA emphasized that it was powerless to influence the decision, which it said was the sole preserve of tournament co-hosts the United States.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” the spokesperson said.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
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A spokesperson for United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Artan was denied entry following a routine inspection.
“During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” the CBP spokesperson 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.”
Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
In a statement to AFP, Artan said he wanted to concentrate on the future.
“Despite the circumstances I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he said.
“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.”
