Somali Referee Omar Artan Denied Entry to US for World Cup

Omar Artan’s World Cup dream ended not with a whistle, but at an airport desk in Miami.

The Somali referee, who was set to make history as the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup, has been ruled out of the tournament after being denied entry into the United States.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that a Somali national scheduled to referee at the World Cup was refused admission after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday. The agency did not name the individual, but Artan is the only World Cup referee from Somalia.

FIFA later confirmed that Artan will not take part in the competition.

“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," world football’s governing body said in a statement. “In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

That closed the door on any late reprieve. No visa. No entry. No World Cup.

CBP outlined its version of events in a detailed release. Officials said the traveller underwent “additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.”

The tone then hardened.

“Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry,” the statement read.

CBP stressed that every person trying to cross the US border — “including athletes, coaches and staff” — faces the same scrutiny.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” CBP said. “CBP officers have the authority to question travellers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with US law.”

For Artan, the timing could hardly be crueller. He was not just a symbolic appointment; he arrived at this World Cup as one of Africa’s standout officials, recently named 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s referee of the year.

Instead of stepping into a World Cup stadium, he is now a stark example of how football’s biggest stage still bends to the hard lines of immigration policy.