Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Africa’s Best Referee for 2025, was denied entry to the United States on arrival at Miami International Airport for the 2026 World Cup and sent back to Istanbul after FIFA said his visa situation was resolved.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan stepped off his route into the United States for the 2026 World Cup, then never made it past the border.
The Somali referee. 34. was reportedly denied entry to the United States and sent on a flight back to Istanbul. Turkey. after arriving at Miami International Airport. The trip had been arranged to smooth travel and visa-related issues: the Somali Embassy in Nairobi. Kenya. said it had granted Artan a diplomatic passport.
Artan travelled from Kenya and transited through Turkey before reaching Miami. After arrival, he was put back on a plane. No reason has been given for the refusal.
FIFA had insisted just last week that Artan’s visa situation was “fully resolved” and that he would be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup. The denial therefore lands against a backdrop FIFA had described as settled. leaving Artan’s immediate availability in question and raising a sharper contrast between administrative assurances and what happens at the airport.
The timing also sits close to Washington’s political rhetoric about Somalia. Somalia appears on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list. Trump previously said “they’re all crooks” of Somali immigrants in America, and in January he called the country “the worst country in the world.”
Artan’s reputation makes the stakes feel personal to football in Africa. He was named Africa’s Best Referee for 2025 at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in November.
The decision to deny entry comes as World Cup travel has been uneven for different delegations. America has refused to issue visas to some members of Iran’s staff for the World Cup. while Iran’s players were able to land in Mexico at the weekend. That arrival in Mexico included visible memorial tribute: the Iran squad were pictured disembarking from their plane with pins on their clothing bearing the number 168. in reference to the 168 school children killed in February’s missile strike.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan World Cup referee Miami International Airport diplomatic passport FIFA 2026 World Cup CAF Awards Africa’s Best Referee 2025 Somalia travel ban list Donald Trump Iran visas 168 school children