Omar Artan's entry was denied by US despite his name being on the FIFA list of referees
Somalia is one of the several countries on a travel ban listed by the US President Trump's administration
FIFA apparently appeared powerless as it did not intervene in Artan's case.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has faced numerous controversies, with the most latest being the denial of entry to Somali referee Omar Artan upon his arrival in the United States. FIFA also subsequently removed Artan from the list of referees for the tournament.
The 34-year-old was poised to make history for Somalia, but on Saturday, he was barred from entering Miami International Airport due to “ vetting concerns,” according to a statement released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The Somalia Embassy in Kenya granted Artan a visa to enter the USA. However, the country is among several on a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration, and it was there that Artan encountered difficulties.
He was questioned for 11 hours by immigration officials, during which Al-Qaeda- linked al-Shabab was one of the subjects brought up.
FIFA seemingly had no power to act, as it failed to get involved in Artan's case.
FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan's status will not be changed at present," the game's world governing body said in a statement on Monday.
Who Is Omar Artan?
Omar Artan was set to make history by becoming the first Somalian to officiate at the World Cup after making the FIFA's finalist of the tournament, which was announced two months back. Artan is a highly-rated referee and is Africa's top official after being named the best male referee in 2025.
How Did Somalia React To The Ban?
The country defended it's referee after being denied entry to the United States. In a statement released on Tuesday, Somalia's Ministry of Sports expressed "deep regret" over Artan's denial to the US, stating that despite involved in a diplomatic engagement with the Donald Trump-led administration and world football governing body FIFA, "it was not possible to achieve a positive outcome".
Somalia assured 'its unwavering support' for the Artan, adding that it "has full confidence in his integrity, professionalism, and continued contribution to the advancement of football both in Somalia and internationally."
"Artan represents the very best of Somali talent," read the statement.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” Artan said in the statement.
