&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "FIFA 2026 | Somali referee Artan dropped from World Cup official list after US denies entry")
Omar Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, has been dropped from the tournament after being denied entry into the United States. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was turned away at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey. No official reason has been provided by US immigration authorities for his repatriation. Notably, Somalia is among several nations on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration. A senior adviser to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the denial to the BBC, stating that Artan had been travelling on valid documents.
What did FIFA say about Somali ref's deportation form US?
The deportation comes even as Artan was issued a diplomatic passport - A Somali embassy official in Nairobi told the BBC that Artan had even been issued a diplomatic passport specifically to ease his travel, following earlier visa difficulties, underscoring the deliberate nature of the exclusion.
FIFA confirmed Artan's exclusion in an official statement, saying 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."
The governing body distanced itself from the decision, noting it "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," and acknowledged that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's status would not be reversed.
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FIFA added that, in line with its position at previous tournaments, "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
On the US side, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service. "While I can't go into the derog on that. I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."
US ICE's role at World Cup in focus again
The Artan episode has renewed the debate about the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 World Cup. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that ICE would be present at the tournament, saying agents were not there to enforce "mass immigration" but to "enforce the law," and that anyone deemed a criminal would be arrested.
The Artan incident comes after an Iraqi player was detained for seven hours at Chicago airport while the team's official photographer was denied the entry.
FIFA confirmed Artan's exclusion in an official statement, saying 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."
The governing body distanced itself from the decision, noting it "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," and acknowledged that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's status would not be reversed.
FIFA added that, in line with its position at previous tournaments, "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
On the US side, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service. "While I can't go into the derog on that. I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."
US ICE's role at World Cup in focus again
The Artan episode has renewed the debate about the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 World Cup. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that ICE would be present at the tournament, saying agents were not there to enforce "mass immigration" but to "enforce the law," and that anyone deemed a criminal would be arrested.
The Artan incident comes after an Iraqi player was detained for seven hours at Chicago airport while the team's official photographer was denied the entry.
