Somali referee Omar Artan has reportedly been denied entry into the United States despite being selected by FIFA for World Cup duties.
Artan was expected to travel to the United States as part of FIFA's officiating team for the tournament.
However, reports indicate that he was stopped by immigration officials upon arrival in Miami and was not allowed to enter the country.
The referee had reportedly travelled with a diplomatic passport after the Somalian embassy facilitated his journey.
Despite these arrangements, immigration authorities are said to have denied him entry and subsequently placed him on a return flight to Istanbul.
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FIFA confirmed the development, stressing that immigration matters fall under the jurisdiction of national authorities and not FIFA.
"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.
"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," the organization said.
FIFA further emphasized that admission into a host country remains a sovereign decision.
"In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country," the governing body added.
Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018, earning the opportunity to officiate international matches under FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Over the years, he has handled numerous CAF club and international competitions, steadily building a reputation as one of Africa's top match officials.
In January 2024, Artan made history by becoming the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), taking charge of a group-stage match between Tunisia and Namibia.
In 2025, he was named CAF Men's Referee of the Year in recognition of his outstanding performances on the international stage.
Artan also represented Africa at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he was selected among the continent's referees for the global tournament.
In 2026, FIFA selected Artan to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, making him the first Somali referee ever chosen for the tournament.
Notably, earlier in the year, the US Department of State announced plans to halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 14, the department said the move is intended to safeguard American taxpayers from financial strain.
"The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the statement read.
According to the department, the pause affects nations where immigrants have reportedly relied heavily on public support
"The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival. We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused," the statement added.
The full list of affected countries includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Cuba.
Others are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, and Nepal.
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen will also be affected.
