Somali Referee Omar Artan Denied Entry for World Cup

FIFA has announced that Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali referee, will be unable to officiate at the 2026 World Cup due to the United States denying him entry. This decision was confirmed in a statement by FIFA, which noted that Artan would also be unable to train for the tournament.

The U.S. authorities made the decision regarding his entry, and FIFA clarified that it does not influence the immigration process of host countries, including visa adjudications. Artan, who was set to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup final, holds a valid visa but was still denied entry.

He has previously officiated at major competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations, and has received recognition from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as one of the continent's top referees in recent years. Consequently, he will no longer be part of the referee team scheduled for the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.