FIFA Removes Somali Referee After US Bars Him From Entry

Overview

• Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry at Miami International Airport and sent back to Turkey, a move that prevents him from training or officiating at the 2026 World Cup.
• FIFA confirmed the referee will not participate and said it has no authority to overturn decisions made by the host country on visas or border entry.
• Somali officials say Artan held a valid US entry visa and that the Somali embassy offered support, including a diplomatic passport, but US authorities maintained the denial and have not given a public reason.
• Artan is a high-profile official who has been on FIFA’s international list since 2018, was named CAF Referee of the Year in 2025, and would have been the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup.
• The case underscores how host-country immigration control can override international sporting appointments and raises questions about visa certainty for participants from countries targeted by recent US travel restrictions under President Trump.