Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry to United States

The first Somali referee Omar Artan selected to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, will miss the tournament after being denied entry into the United States despite holding a valid visa.

According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Artan arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday but was deemed inadmissible following a vetting process.

In a statement released on Monday, the CBP said the Somali national was denied entry due to unspecified vetting concerns but did not provide further details.

Artan, an award-winning official, had been set to make history as the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.

The incident has renewed attention on the United States' immigration policies ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Concerns have been raised previously over travel restrictions imposed by the administration, including a ban affecting citizens of 12 countries, among them Somalia.

Following discussions with US authorities, FIFA confirmed that Artan would be unable to participate in the tournament.

"Fifa can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States," read a statement.

"Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan's status will not be changed at present.

"In line with previous Fifa events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."

Somalia's embassy in Washington had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.