Somali referee dropped from World Cup after being refused entry to US
Summary
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been removed from the 2026 World Cup refereeing team after being denied entry to the United States. FIFA said the decision was made by U.S. authorities and FIFA has no power to change it.Key Facts
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali referee, was denied entry to the U.S. at Miami International Airport.
- Because of this, Artan cannot participate as a referee in the 2026 World Cup.
- He would have been the first Somali referee to work at the World Cup.
- FIFA stated that visa and entry decisions are controlled by host countries, not by FIFA.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan was refused entry after an additional routine inspection due to “vetting concerns.”
- Somalia is one of the countries affected by a travel ban implemented under President Donald Trump’s administration.
- Artan has a valid U.S. visa but was still denied entry.
- Somali sports officials expressed regret over the situation, saying it harms both Artan and football’s values.
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