Somali referee removed from the World Cup after being barred by the USA would make history for his country; get to know

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan in a photo from January 2024.
Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was banned from entering the United States and was cut from the World Cup by FIFA, was about to make history for his country.
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Artan would be the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup of the World after making FIFA's final list for the tournament, announced two months ago. He is one of Africa's top referees and was voted the continent's best male referee in 2025.
The dream, however, had to be postponed. FIFA removed him from the World Cup arbitration panel after he was denied entry to Miami International Airport. Football's governing body said on Monday (8) that it "does not get involved in host countries' immigration processes."
The decision to deny a FIFA-appointed referee official permission to enter the World Cup host country is highly unusual. Artan was supposed to meet with other World Cup referees at the training base in Miami. In total, 170 field referees, assistant referees and video referees (VAR) will participate in the World Cup, according to FIFA.
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Artan would make history for Somalia
Omar Artan is 34 years old and has been a FIFA referee since 2018 - it is necessary to have this rank to referee a World Cup game and some of the most important football championships.
Artan has been praised as one of the best referees in Africa and refereed the decisive game of the final of the African Champions League last month - the continent's main club competition.
In a recent interview with the Qatari network "Al Jazeera", he spoke about the honor of being chosen as the first Somali to referee a World Cup and about the challenges faced in his country marked by conflict, including the need to change routes for training because of explosions in the streets of the capital, Mogadishu.
"You cannot give up as a referee," he said Artan in the interview. "Going to the World Cup was my big goal, and I'm really excited."
Interrogated for 11 hours in the US and subjected to 'additional inspection'
Senegal team is searched on the airport tarmac upon arriving in the US
Artan told the US newspaper "The New York Times" that he was interviewed for 11 hours at Miami airport by border agents, who asked him why he traveled to the US and questioned him about Somali politics and the militant group al-Shabab, which is fighting an insurgency against the local government. He claimed to have shown FIFA documents and photos from his career as a referee.
After interrogation, he was placed in a holding room and sent back on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, from where he had boarded a connecting flight to the US. The incident occurred last Saturday, his birthday.
"I think they have a problem with my country," Artan told The New York Times, adding that he had the correct documents and visa.

According to the newspaper, he was not informed about the reason for the refusal.
Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports said on Tuesday (9) that its embassy in the US was trying to resolve the problem to allow Artan to officiate at the World Cup, which starts next Thursday (11).
The refusal may be related to the broader restrictions imposed on Somalia "and not to any specific accusation against him", Isse Aden Abshir, a senior advisor at the ministry, told the agency from Associated Press news.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement Monday that Artan "underwent additional screening" upon arrival in Miami, and called the procedure a "routine part of the process when agents need to verify information or determine admissibility." the agency said.
The agency said all travelers seeking to enter the U.S. - including World Cup players, coaches and teams - are subject to inspection and verification.
"Admissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis based on public safety, national security and immigration information available at the time of inspection," the statement said. "Agents have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility under U.S. law."

Source: G1

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