Somali ref for 2026 World Cup barred entry into the United States

For the world's elite players, coaches, and officials, reaching the World Cup is the pinnacle of a professional career. However, the 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will proceed without one specific FIFA official.

World Cup Official Denied Entry

Somali referee Omar Artan has been blocked from entering the United States after being selected to officiate matches at the upcoming tournament.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed on Monday that a Somali national scheduled to officiate in the World Cup was denied entry upon arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul this past Saturday. While officials did not explicitly name Artan in their report, he is the only Somali official assigned to the tournament.

CBP Inspection Process

The agency characterized the denial as a result of standard vetting procedures. In an official statement, Customs and Border Protection explained, "During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility. Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry."

Somalia is currently on the U.S. list of countries restricted for immigration, though exceptions remain possible. Despite the high-stakes nature of the event, FIFA does not hold jurisdiction over national immigration policies or visa distributions, leaving final entry authority entirely with the host nation.

Looking Forward

In a statement released Monday, Artan remained professional regarding the setback. "Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career," Artan said. "I would like to thank FIFA and the African federation for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future. I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."

FIFA has confirmed that Artan's official status with the organization remains unchanged. The 2026 World Cup is set to run from June 11 through July 12.