Omar Artan was supposed to make history. He was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a men's FIFA World Cup finals. But those plans have now fallen apart.
The 2025 CAF men's referee of the year was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport. He is currently in Turkey, according to reports. US immigration authorities have not given any official reason for sending him back.
Somalia is one of several countries included in a travel ban introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration. While no one has confirmed that the ban is directly linked to Artan's case, many observers are pointing to it as a likely factor.
FIFA has confirmed that Artan will not take part in the World Cup. In a short statement, soccer's global governing body said it has no control over host country immigration decisions. "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," the statement read. The organization added that US authorities told them Artan's situation will not change for now.
A senior adviser to Somalia's ministry of youth and sports told the BBC that Artan was traveling with valid documents. A Somali embassy official in Nairobi also said that Artan had been given a diplomatic passport specifically to help him travel after earlier visa problems.
The Somali Football Federation has reached out to FIFA, asking for urgent answers.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, defended the decision. Speaking to BBC World Service, he said, "While I can't go into the derogatory information on that, I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."
Artan was one of 52 referees chosen by FIFA to work at the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July.
Artan has been a FIFA referee since 2018 and has officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He is also an official in Somalia's national league. His supporters say he worked hard to reach this level, and they feel heartbroken that politics has gotten in the way of his dream.
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