World Cup referee shares thoughts after FIFA says entry to the US was denied
Omar Artan, the referee who was supposed to be part of the World Cup but wasn’t allowed into the United States, has shared his thoughts after the situation was confirmed.
Omar is 34 years old and has experience refereeing at the Africa Cup of Nations. He was all set to be the first Somali referee at the World Cup, chosen by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to represent the continent.
Last Friday, Omar thanked the Somali embassy on his Facebook page for helping him get a diplomatic passport, which was meant to make his travel easier after some visa troubles.
He traveled from Nairobi to Turkey, then to Miami, but was denied entry into the U.S. and had to go back to Istanbul. FIFA confirmed to SPORTbible that he won’t be able to referee or train at the World Cup this year.
A FIFA spokesperson said, “We can confirm that Omar Abdulkadir Artan won’t be able to take part at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after being denied entry into the United States. FIFA is not involved in visa decisions, which are made by the host country’s government. A visa and admission are decided by the government, not FIFA.”
Somalia is on the travel ban list by U.S. President Donald Trump, but no exact reason has been given for why Omar was sent back.
In spite of this, Omar shared a positive message, saying he’s looking forward to the next steps in his refereeing career. “I want to thank FIFA and CAF for their support. I’ll keep working hard to improve and focus on the future,” he told Reuters.
He also thanked the football community for their support and wished his fellow referees the best at the World Cup, saying he hopes to join them at future events.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the U.S. decision. Speaking to the BBC, he said, “I can’t share all the details, but Customs and Border Patrol made the right call, and I support it.”
After a routine check at Miami International Airport, Omar was denied entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) didn’t provide a specific reason but said it was due to “vetting concerns.”
A CBP spokesperson explained, “On June 6, a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport. During processing, we did an extra inspection as part of our routine when needed. After that, the traveler, who is a FIFA World Cup referee, was found inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.
“All visitors coming to the U.S., including athletes and staff, go through inspection and vetting. Decisions are made based on law enforcement, national security, and immigration information at the time. Our officers have the authority to question travelers, do inspections, and decide if they can enter, following U.S. law.”