Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was to referee the World Cup, said he was disappointed after being denied entry to the USA. He would be the first Somali referee to officiate at the tournament.
In an interview with The New York Times, Artan stated that his immigration documentation and credentials issued by FIFA (International Football Federation) were in order to enter the country and work in the championship.
“I had the right documents and everything. I had the correct visa,” said Artan, adding that he also presented documents proving his career as a professional referee.
“I think they have a problem with my country”, stating that he would return to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday (10).
The referee also said that participating in the tournament would have been a symbol of success for the Somalis. “I’m simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
Artan was one of 52 referees selected to work in the competition, which will be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada. He was one of seven African referees chosen for the tournament.
The referee arrived at Miami International Airport on Saturday, five days before the first game of the tournament, on Thursday (11), but was prevented from entering the United States by border agents, who interrogated him throughout the night.
According to Artan, the immigration interview lasted more than 11 hours. Then, he says, he was taken to a cell, where he remained in custody. He was then put on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. The agents did not say why they refused to enter the country.
When questioned, FIFA said it “does not get involved in the immigration process of host countries, including the granting of visas”. The entity also stated that it was informed by the authorities that Artan’s situation will not change at this time.
In a statement, the Somali Ministry of Youth and Sports defended the referee’s “integrity” and expressed its “unconditional support” in the case. The ministry stated that it had been involved in diplomatic negotiations with the United States government and FIFA, but said that it had not been possible to achieve a positive result.
A member of the FIFA team since 2018, Omar Artan plays in the Somali league and was elected Referee of the Year by CAF (Confederation of African Football) in 2025.
Somalia is one of several countries whose citizens are subject to a ban on entry into the United States imposed by Donald Trump’s administration. At the end of November last year, the Republican described the country as “rotten” and declared his intention to end the special status that protects Somali citizens from deportation.
With information from the New York Times
