A World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. (AP Video/ Mohamed Sheikh Nor)
Referee Omar Artan, center, signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy, File)
A World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. (AP Video/ Mohamed Sheikh Nor)
Referee Omar Artan, center, signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy, File)
Referee Omar Artan, center, signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy, File)
Somali referee Omar Artan won’t officiate in the World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee in the World Cup had been denied entry after arriving to Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday. While the CBP statement didn’t mention the person by name, Artan is the only World Cup referee from Somalia.
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