Somalia referee Artan barred from 2026 World Cup despite valid documents

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup despite holding a valid visa and diplomatic passport.

Barred at Miami Airport Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport after an 11-hour immigration interview. He was set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup finals but was removed from the officials' list on Monday. U.S. immigration authorities did not provide a reason for his repatriation. Somalia remains on a travel ban list implemented during Donald Trump’s presidency. ## Reflects on missed dream Artan expressed deep disappointment over the decision, telling a major publication, 'I am very, very disappointed. I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream - the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.' FIFA confirmed Artan would miss the tournament after consulting with U.S. authorities. The governing body stated it does not control host country immigration processes and was informed his status would not change. ## Valid documents confirmed A senior adviser from Somalia’s ministry of youth and sports verified Artan’s entry denial and confirmed he traveled with valid documents. A Somali embassy official in Nairobi revealed Artan’s diplomatic passport was issued specifically to resolve prior visa complications. Artan reiterated his frustration, saying, 'I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa.' After the interview, he was held in a separate cell for hours before being deported to Istanbul, Turkey. ## U.S. task force backs decision Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the border patrol’s actions. He stated, 'While I can't go into the derog information on that, I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.' Referees must remain at a Miami training hub in Florida for all preparations and security, making remote officiating in Canada or Mexico impossible. ## Political context and World Cup timeline The denial occurred amid prior comments by Trump in December discouraging Somali immigration, with remarks suggesting they 'go back to where they came from.' Artan suggested a bias, noting, 'I think that they have a problem with my country.' The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19. Iran’s football federation also faced a separate issue on Tuesday when their group-stage fan ticket allocation was revoked. ## Broader tournament controversies Former England striker Ian Wright criticized the tournament’s handling in a social media video, calling it a 'World Cup of chaos.' He said, 'Every few hours, it's another story about fans denied, player denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs.' Wright highlighted the high costs for tickets, travel, and accommodation, questioning the hosts’ treatment of the event. He also compared the situation to scrutiny faced by Qatar’s hosting of a previous World Cup.