FIFA Drops Somali Referee After US Denies Entry

In a surprising turn of events, a Somali referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was set to officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026, has been dropped from the list after being denied entry into the United States. Artan, 34, had travelled from Kenya through Turkey to Miami, with the Somali Embassy in Nairobi facilitating his travel and providing him with a diplomatic passport to aid with visa-related issues. However, upon arrival at Miami International Airport, he was sent back on a flight to Turkey without any reason being given. This development comes despite FIFA's earlier confirmation that Artan's visa situation had been 'fully resolved, and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup'. In a statement released on Monday night, FIFA said, 'FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.' The statement further clarified that '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.' It is worth noting that Somalia is on President Trump's travel ban list, and he has made negative comments about the country and its immigrants in the past. Artan, who was named Africa's Best Referee for 2025 at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in November, will now not be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026.