Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup, has been dropped from the list of officials after he was denied entry to the United States.
Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey.
According to reports, the Referee was denied entry into the United States because U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determined him “inadmissible due to vetting concerns.”
N/B: Somalia is on President Trump’s travel ban list, which restricts entry on national security grounds.
The referee has responded:
“Despite the circumstances, I am in good spirits and focused on the next challenges in my career.
“I want to thank the football family for the messages and wish my colleagues the best during the World Cup. I look forward to meeting them in the future.
“I want to thank FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) for all the support and I promise to continue improving my level and stay focused on the future.”
