Somali referee Omar Artan denied US entry, barred from officiating at 2026 World Cup

Jun 8, 2026

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to be the first from his country to officiate a World Cup, has been barred from the 2026 tournament after being denied entry to the U.S. over 'vetting concerns.' The incident occurs amid a Trump administration travel ban affecting Somalia and has sparked criticism of FIFA for failing to secure guaranteed access for participants, a standard contractual requirement for host nations.

Omar Artan visa denial

▪Artan stated he had a valid visa and the 'right papers,' and a Somali embassy official confirmed his diplomatic passport was issued to ease travel.
▪Omar Artan was set to be the first person from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup.
▪Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport and will not officiate at the 2026 World Cup.
▪U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated Artan was deemed inadmissible due to 'vetting concerns' following an additional inspection.
▪Before being denied entry, Artan was subjected to an 11-hour immigration interview and detained in a holding cell.

Trump administration immigration enforcement

▪Three days before receiving a Fifa Peace Prize, President Trump described immigrants from Somalia as 'garbage'.
▪Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by the Trump administration.
▪In December, President Donald Trump stated he does not want Somali immigrants in the U.S. and they should 'go back to where they came from'.
▪White House World Cup chief Andrew Giuliani said denying Artan entry was 'the right decision' but declined to provide specific details.

FIFA hosting contract violations

▪A senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports said the decision 'undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play.'
▪In 2023, FIFA stripped Indonesia of hosting rights for the under-20 World Cup after the country denied entry to the Israeli team.
▪FIFA stated it is 'not involved in host country immigration processes' and was informed Artan's status would not be changed.
▪FIFA's hosting contracts require 'government guarantees' from host nations regarding visas, permits, and immigration procedures for participants.

Infantino-Trump relationship

▪In 2017, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that any qualifying team, including supporters and officials, must have access to the host country.
▪Critics have questioned the effectiveness of Gianni Infantino's relationship with Donald Trump in securing basic tournament provisions.

Team competitive disadvantages

▪The Senegal and Uzbekistan teams underwent heavy security checks, and Iran's team could meet the hosts in the last 16 while playing at a disadvantage.
▪The unequal treatment of certain teams due to visa and entry issues may affect the tournament's competitive balance.

Iranian staff entry denials

▪Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was held and questioned for nearly seven hours upon arrival at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
▪Iranian staff have been denied entry to the U.S., a claim disputed by the US state department.
▪Due to ongoing visa issues, Iran's World Cup training base was moved from the U.S. to Mexico.