Somali Referee Omar Artan To Miss World Cup After U.S. Entry Denial

Somali Referee Omar Artan To Miss World Cup After U.S. Entry Denial

As per reports, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not take part in the 2026 World Cup, with a FIFA spokesperson stating his situation “will not change.” Artan is scheduled to return to Somalia on Wednesday from Istanbul, the city to which he was sent back after being denied entry to the United States.

The case has drawn attention to the challenges of international travel for match officials under the U.S. travel restrictions in place for the tournament. Despite being one of eight referees from CAF selected by FIFA for the World Cup, Artan encountered visa difficulties that ultimately ended his participation.

He had been named CAF’s best African referee for 2025 and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Artan, 34, reportedly secured a diplomatic passport with assistance from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, but it was not enough to gain entry to the U.S. Somalia is among the countries included on the U.S. travel ban list, even though the national team did not qualify for the tournament.

In a statement, Artan struck a positive tone despite the setback. “I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career. I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for their support and I promise to maintain my refereeing standards as I look ahead,” he said.

FIFA has maintained that it does not interfere in host countries’ immigration and visa procedures, noting that the host government makes the final decision on entry. The issue has also affected players. Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was initially barred from flying to the U.S. due to a 2018 court ruling and 2023 conviction for threats, but his case has since been resolved and he has arrived in San Diego. Iran’s squad, meanwhile, has had to relocate its base to Mexico and will only enter the U.S. on matchdays before leaving the same day.

Artan’s absence leaves CAF with seven of its originally selected eight referees for a tournament that will use 170 officials across 104 matches in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The UEFA group includes Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final, along with England’s Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver.