The Government of Somalia described this Tuesday, June 9, as “regrettable” the decision of the United States immigration authorities to deny entry to referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was going to become the first Somali to officiate a match in the history of a World Cup. Somalia demanded explanations from both Washington and FIFA.
In a joint statement, the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Foreign Affairs announced that they were carrying out “diplomatic efforts” with the competent authorities of the US and FIFA to obtain a “clear explanation” about the incident.
“It is regrettable that such treatment apparently occurred and the Ministry is closely monitoring the situation,” they noted.
Somali authorities highlighted that Artan “has represented his country, his profession and Somali sport with distinction.” Their international participation, they added, “is a source of pride and honor for all Somalis and reflects the progress and positive advances that Somali athletes and sports officials are making on the world stage.”
Reaction of the referee and FIFA
Artan himself, 34 years old and elected best male referee in Africa in 2025 by CAF, issued a statement in which he thanked the support received: “Despite the circumstances, I maintain a positive attitude and am focused on the next challenges of my career as a referee. I want to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I am committed to maintaining my refereeing level while I focus on the future.” He also wished his colleagues “great success” and expressed his enthusiasm for participating in future competitions.
FIFA confirmed this Monday that Artan was removed from the tournament’s referee list: “FIFA can confirm that referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to train or referee at the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States.” The organization stressed that it does not intervene in the immigration processes of the host country and that the US authorities informed it that its situation “will not change for the moment.”
Incident details
Artan landed on June 6 at Miami International Airport from Istanbul. Following an additional screening process, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declared him inadmissible due to background check issues and denied him entry, even though he was traveling with a valid visa and a diplomatic passport issued specifically to facilitate his participation. He later returned to Istanbul.
Travel restriction
Somalia, a country affected by jihadist violence, is on the list of nations whose citizens are subject to restrictions on entry to the United States imposed by the government of President Donald Trump. These countries also include Afghanistan, Libya, Iran and Yemen.
These measures affect dozens of nations and have generated criticism for their impact on international events such as the World Cup, which is held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The case adds to other incidents related to visas during the tournament, such as delays in the procedures of the Iranian team. Artan, a member of the FIFA panel since 2018 and with experience in the African Cup of Nations, will not be able to join the referee training center in Miami, thus ruling out any possibility of directing tournament matches.
The incident has provoked reactions on social networks and among soccer figures, who consider it an example of the organizational problems facing a World Cup that will begin on June 11 with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca Stadium. The tournament will conclude on July 19.