Omar Artan is believed to have been denied entry under Trump’s new travel restrictions
Award-winning football referee Omar Artan, the first Somali national to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals tournament, has been denied entry to the US, according to a senior sports official from the African nation.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, has faced scrutiny well before kickoff over a range of organizational concerns, including shifting US entry policies and strict regulations that have led to lengthy match suspensions due to weather alerts and other disruptions.
The latest controversy emerged on Monday when Artan was refused entry and turned away at Miami International Airport despite holding a valid US visa. The Somali referee was forced to return to Istanbul, Türkiye, where he has been based, according to Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain.
“Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,” Abshir told AFP. “Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play,” he added.
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