Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has officially been dropped from FIFA’s list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after United States authorities denied him entry into the country ahead of the tournament.
The decision ends what would have been a historic milestone for Somalia, as Artan had been selected to become the first Somali referee ever to officiate at a men’s FIFA World Cup.
FIFA confirmed his removal from the tournament panel after the 34-year-old official was turned away at Miami International Airport while traveling to attend a mandatory FIFA seminar for match officials.
According to reports, Artan arrived in Miami on Saturday, June 6, after flying from Istanbul, Turkey, where he had been preparing for upcoming World Cup assignments.
His trip to the United States was intended to allow him to participate in FIFA’s mandatory training and orientation seminar for officials selected to work at the tournament.
However, after undergoing a routine border inspection followed by additional screening, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) denied him entry into the country.
Authorities subsequently placed Artan on a return flight to Turkey, preventing him from participating in the seminar and carrying out his World Cup duties.
A CBP spokesperson later stated that the Somali official had been found “inadmissible due to vetting concerns.”
The agency did not publicly provide additional details regarding the specific concerns that led to the decision.
Andrew Giuliani, who heads the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, publicly defended the border agency’s actions, stating that immigration officials had acted appropriately based on the information available to them.
According to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, the referee was traveling with a valid U.S. work visa as well as a specialized diplomatic passport that had been issued to facilitate his international travel for official assignments.
Despite those documents, U.S. immigration authorities retained the authority to deny admission after conducting inspections at the port of entry.
Following the incident, FIFA moved to clarify Artan’s status.
The global football governing body confirmed that the Somali official would no longer be part of the World Cup refereeing team.
FIFA explained that immigration decisions remain solely within the jurisdiction of host governments and that the organization has no authority over visa approvals or border entry determinations.
With Artan unable to enter the United States or attend the mandatory officials’ seminar, FIFA removed him from the tournament roster and began making adjustments to its officiating panel ahead of the competition.
The confirmation effectively ended Artan’s chances of participating in football’s biggest event despite earning selection through years of top-level performances.
