A Somali referee denied entry to the United States and barred from the World Cup

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, will not participate in the 2026 World Cup. Appointed by FIFA to officiate at the tournament, which begins on June 11, he was denied entry to the United States on Monday, despite holding a valid visa. Immigration officials turned him away upon his arrival at the airport and forced him to leave immediately. Named African Referee of the Year in 2025, he was set to become Somalia's first representative to officiate matches in a World Cup finals tournament.

FIFA refuses to intervene

This case comes a few months after the remarks made by Donald Trump regarding the Somalis, whom he had described as nationals of a "rotten" country. Contacted by AFP, FIFA refused to support the referee and offered only a terse response: "It is the government of the host country that determines" the entry requirements. The world football governing body will therefore take no action to assert the presence of an official whom it had itself selected for the competition.

This rejection illustrates the diplomatic tensions surrounding the organization of the World Cup in the United States. Omar Abdulkadir Artan had followed all the necessary administrative procedures and possessed the required documents. His exclusion, based on criteria that remain unclear, deprives the tournament of a referee recognized for his competence and honored just a few months ago by the Confederation of African Football.