World Cup referee vents after being banned from the USA

Referee Omar Artan, from Somalia, prevented from entering the United States by the country's immigration authorities, spoke out after being excluded by FIFA from the 2026 World Cup referee panel.

In an interview this Tuesday (9) with the New York Times, he gave details of the immigration interview and said he was "disappointed", as he had the correct documentation to enter the country.

I'm very, very disappointed. I'm just a referee trying to fulfill my dream, the biggest dream of my life, which is to come to the World Cup."]I think they have a problem with my country. [...] I'm very, very disappointed. I'm just a referee trying to fulfill my dream, the biggest dream of my life, which is to come to the World Cup.

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The referee revealed in a telephone interview from Istanbul, the city where he was taken after being denied entry into the USA, that he flew to Miami International Airport on Saturday (6), and that his immigration interview lasted around 11 hours.

He was later taken by border agents who interrogated him in a small room overnight. Artan was put on a flight back to Türkiye and told the NY Times that he was not given any justification for the refusal.

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"I had the right documentation and everything. I had the right visa," added the referee.

At 34 years old, Omar Artan was one of 52 selected to referee the 2026 World Cup and would be the first Somali referee to referee the competition. In 2025, Artan was elected the best referee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

According to a statement issued by FIFA, through its advisors, the referee's participation in the tournament has been officially ruled out. As this is a diplomatic issue, the entity stated that it did not have the power to intervene in the process.

See the statement issued by FIFA
"FIFA confirms that referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to train and perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States.

FIFA is not involved in host countries' immigration processes, including visa grants, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan's situation will not be changed at this time.

As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is allowed entry into their country."

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Source: CNN