A soccer referee from Somalia will not officiate in the upcoming World Cup after he was denied entry into the United States.
Omar Artan had been selected to referee in soccer’s biggest event, but he was denied entry after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday, ESPN reported.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee at the World Cup had been denied entry, according to the sports news website. The agency did not mention the referee by name, but FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, later confirmed Artan was the official.
I am deeply disappointed by the news that Omar Artan, Africa’s finest referee and one of the best in the world, may be unable to officiate at the FIFA World Cup due to visa-related circumstances.
— Hassan Ali Khaire (@HassanAKhaire) June 8, 2026
Omar has earned his place through talent, hard work, professionalism, and… pic.twitter.com/gu4TV6ahg6
“During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in a statement. “Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
Somalia is one of 39 nations on the U.S. list of banned countries for immigration, ESPN reported. Exceptions can be made, according to the sports news website.
Artan was named Africa’s top male referee in 2025, CNN reported. He was selected by the Confederation of African Football to officiate in the World Cup.
FIFA released a statement on Artan’s behalf, The Associated Press reported.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” Artan said. “I would like to thank FIFA and (the African federation) for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future. I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
Statement from top Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry to US for WC over vetting concerns: “I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup & I look forward to joining them again in future competitions” https://t.co/6v68nRKi8L pic.twitter.com/MUXHKUKmXp
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 9, 2026
FIFA released its own statement, stating it was not involved in the immigration processes and learned
In its own statement, FIFA said it was not involved in the immigration processes and was informed by authorities that Artan’s “status will not be changed at present,” the AP reported.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country,” FIFA said.
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