Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was removed from the 2026 World Cup after the United States authorities denied him entry to the country, FIFA reported this Monday.
The governing body of world football confirmed that the referee will not be able to participate in the tournament that begins on Thursday and will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“FIFA can confirm that referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to coach or referee at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
FIFA specified that it does not have the power to intervene in immigration decisions and that the situation depends exclusively on the US authorities.
As explained by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on June 6 from Istanbul. After an additional inspection, considered routine by authorities, he was determined to be inadmissible due to problems related to his background check.
As a result, he was denied entry into the United States, a decision that also left him out of the World Cup.
The case occurs in a context of immigration restrictions that affect citizens of several countries, including Somalia, included in the measures promoted by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Despite the setback, Artan was calm and grateful for the support he received.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in good spirits and focused on the next challenges of my career as a referee,” he said in a statement.
He also thanked FIFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the international football community for their support, as well as wishing his colleagues success during the tournament.
The decision sparked criticism in Somalia. Ciise Aden Abshir, advisor to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, assured that the referee had a valid visa and regretted that he was prevented from participating in the competition.
Abshir highlighted that Artan is one of the most respected referees on the African continent and considered that preventing him from performing in the World Cup affects the principles of sporting merit and fair play.
At 34 years old, Artan had been selected among the 52 referees designated for the 2026 World Cup. The referee has held the FIFA badge since 2018, officiates matches in the Somali league and was recognized as the best African referee of the year by the CAF in 2025.
His presence at the tournament would have marked a historic event, as he was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate matches in a World Cup.
