The U.S. government has refused to allow Somali football referee Omar Abdulqadir Artan to enter the country. This was reported by the Zamon.uz agency .
According to reports, due to this decision, Artan will not be able to participate in the preparatory training sessions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will be deprived of the opportunity to officiate matches of the competition.
He was expected to become the first Somali referee in history to officiate a World Cup match.
The Somali government announced that it had held negotiations with U.S. officials and FIFA to allow the referee to enter the United States. However, these efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
A statement from the country's Ministry of Sports emphasized that Omar Abdulqadir Artan's international achievements are a great source of pride for the Somali people.
According to Reuters, the Somali side is continuing diplomatic efforts to ensure the referee's participation in the World Cup.
FIFA, meanwhile, stated that visa and immigration matters fall under the authority of the host country and that it does not participate in the decision-making process for such issues. The organization also did not disclose information about which match Artan had been assigned to.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service, a Somali citizen who arrived in Miami from Istanbul was subjected to additional inspection. Based on the results of the inspection, he was denied entry into the country.
The agency stated that such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis based on national security, law enforcement, and immigration-related information.
According to media reports, Artan, who was named the best male referee in Africa in 2025, had a valid visa for entry into the United States.
The referee himself stated that, despite the situation, he will continue his career and focus on his future assignments.
