The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the US and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was going to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA's final list for the tournament, which was announced two months ago, per the AP. He is one of Africa's top referees and was named the continent's best male referee in 2025. He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over "vetting concerns," US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. Artan was issued a visa to travel to the US last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it.
The move to deny a FIFA-appointed match official permission to enter a World Cup host country is highly unusual. Artan was due to meet up with other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami. The Somalia Youth and Sports Ministry said on Tuesday that it had not been told why Artan was denied entry and its embassy in the US was making diplomatic efforts to resolve the problem and still allow Artan to referee at the World Cup, which opens on Thursday. However, FIFA said it was informed by US authorities that Artan's "status will not be changed at present."
Somalia was one of the countries subjected to new travel restrictions last year under the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, and Isse Aden Abshir, a senior adviser at the Somalia sports ministry and a former national team captain, suggests those restrictions might be related to Artan's case. CBP said only that "admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis." Artan did not elaborate in a statement released by FIFA, saying he was "in a positive mood" despite the circumstances and wishing colleagues "all the best success during the World Cup." He previously told Al Jazeera that the World Cup was his "big, big target" and he was "really excited" to participate.
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