Somali Referee Omar Artan Denied US Entry Ahead of World Cup

FIFA confirmed on Monday that Somali referee Omar Artan will play no part in the 2026 World Cup after US authorities denied him entry at Miami International Airport. Artan, Africa's top-ranked official, had flown in to join the tournament's 52-referee panel but was put back on a plane following what he described as an 11-hour interview with immigration officials.

A US State Department official told AFP that Artan was "associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations" and therefore ineligible for admission. Somalia is among the countries subject to travel restrictions introduced by the Trump administration. Artan had held a valid visa, making his case one of the most visible examples of the friction between FIFA's tournament plans and US border policy.

BBC Sport and other outlets have questioned whether FIFA retains full control of its own competition when appointed officials cannot enter the host nation. Pierluigi Collina's refereeing department must now redistribute Artan's assignments, while the incident has fuelled wider debate about ICE presence at stadiums and whether players, staff, and supporters will receive the exemptions FIFA has promised.