Why was Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry to US?
Why was Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry to US?
Andrés Soto, USA TODAY Wed, June 10, 2026 at 3:37 PM UTC
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MEXICO CITY — Omar Artan was set to make history in 2026 as the first Somali-born referee to ever officiate a World Cup. That all unraveled when the 35-year-old arrived in Miami on Saturday, June 6.
Artan, the 2025 African Men's Referee of the Year winner, was denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. On Monday, FIFA announced in a statement statement that Artan would be unable to train and officiate in the 2026 World Cup.
"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 spokesperson said. "In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is holding a press conference in Mexico City on Wednesday ahead of the tournament's opening match and is expected to face questions about the affair.
Why was Somali referee denied entry to the US?
A statement released by CBP on Monday mentioned a referee for the FIFA World Cup "underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP's inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility. Following inspection, the traveler ... was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry."
Artan told the New York Times he was interviewed for over 11 hours and was detained for several more hours before he was put on a flight to Istanbul.
"I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," Artan said. "... I think that they have a problem with my country."
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Somalia is one of 12 countries on President Donald Trump's travel ban list.
"While I can't go into [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by Customs and Border Patrol and I support that decision," Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House World Cup Task Force, told the BBC.
Somali ref gets hero's welcome back home
Artan received a hero's welcome upon his return to Somalia after being denied entry to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The homecoming saw crowds of supporters gather to celebrate Artan and show their solidarity following his controversial exclusion from the tournament.
Hundreds of supporters, government officials and members of Somalia's football community assembled at Aden Adde International Airport to welcome Artan home. As the plane arrived Wednesday, June 10, fans waved national flags, chanted Artan's name and crowded around him, draping a Somali flag over his shoulders.
"I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one," Artan told the cheering crowd as they waved Somali flags in support, according to the AP "I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident. Our journey does not end here."
World Cup schedule 2026 -
Group Stage: June 11-June 27
Round of 32 : June 28-July 3
Round of 16 : July 4-7
Quarterfinals : July 9-11
Semifinals : July 14-15
Third-place game : July 18 (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Final : July 19 (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
World Cup cities 2026: Tickets for every host stadium
Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Houston | Kansas City | Miami | Los Angeles | Philadelphia | New York | San Francisco | Seattle | Guadalajara | Mexico City | Monterrey | Toronto | Vancouver
World Cup schedule 2026 -
Group Stage: June 11-June 27
Round of 32 : June 28-July 3
Round of 16 : July 4-7
Quarterfinals : July 9-11
Semifinals : July 14-15
Third-place game : July 18 (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Final : July 19 (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Somali referee denied entry to USA for World Cup. What happened?
Source: “AOL Sports”
