Omar Artan Barred From US Ahead of World Cup 2026
Omar Artan has been denied access to the United States and will not work at the Fifa World Cup 2026. The Somali referee was refused entry at Miami International Airport this past weekend, ending his chance to train and officiate at the tournament.
Artan’s World Cup role
Fifa said on Monday that he will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026 and that it had been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present. Artan had been set to become the first person from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup, a place in the tournament that carried more than personal weight.
He was one of 170 referees, assistant referees and video assistant referees chosen for the 104-match event, which runs over six weeks. That group was built to cover every stage of the competition, and Artan’s absence now leaves one official out before the tournament has begun.
Miami International Airport refusal
Artan allegedly had a valid travel visa when he was turned away at Miami International Airport. He has been based in Istanbul in recent months, and that base now sits at the center of a journey that stopped before he reached the World Cup host country.
The refusal also lands inside a wider immigration squeeze already touching other World Cup-linked figures. Somalia is among several countries under a broad travel ban imposed by the Trump administration, while Iranian players and officials have faced entry problems for months, Iran’s training base moved from the US to Mexico, and the US state department disputed claims that support staff had been denied visas at the last minute.
Somalia and football’s response
Somali government representatives said the decision had undermined football’s commitment to fair play. Ciise Aden Abshir called Artan one of Africa’s most respected referees and said he deserved the support of the entire football community.
Abshir also said that denying him entry to the US and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms him personally and undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had previously described Artan as a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis, and that description now sits alongside a missed World Cup assignment and a blocked trip into the host country.
