FIFA has confirmed that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.
Artan, who was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup finals, was reportedly stopped at Miami International Airport and subsequently returned from the country. According to the BBC, he is currently in Turkey.
In a statement issued after discussions with US authorities, FIFA said Artan would be unable to participate in the tournament.
“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 governing body said.
FIFA added that it does not play a role in immigration decisions made by host countries and had been informed that Artan’s status would not be changed.
“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 statement read.
The organisation noted that, as with previous tournaments, host governments retain the authority to decide who receives a visa and is admitted into their territory.
US immigration officials have not publicly stated why Artan was denied entry. The incident comes amid travel restrictions affecting several countries, including Somalia, under measures introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the BBC, a senior adviser at Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports said Artan travelled with valid documents. A Somali embassy official in Nairobi also told the broadcaster that he had been issued a diplomatic passport to help overcome previous visa-related difficulties.
The Somali Football Federation (SFF) has reportedly contacted FIFA to seek clarification over the circumstances surrounding Artan’s exclusion from the tournament.
Artan was among the 52 referees selected to officiate at the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
His absence ends what would have been a historic milestone for Somali football, as he was on course to become the first official from the country to referee at football’s biggest tournament.
Speaking to the BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the decision.
“While I can’t go into the derogatory information on that, I can tell you it was the right decision by Customs and Border Protection, and I support that decision,” he said.
Artan’s exclusion comes despite his growing reputation in international football officiating. In 2025, he was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year and has established himself as one of the continent’s leading match officials.
A FIFA-accredited referee since 2018, he has officiated at several major continental competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations.
His selection for the 2026 World Cup had been seen as recognition of his rise through the ranks of international refereeing and a significant achievement for Somali football.
With FIFA maintaining that immigration decisions remain the responsibility of host governments, Artan will now miss the opportunity to officiate at football’s biggest event.
