Somali referee Omar Artan, set to officiate FIFA World Cup matches, was denied entry to the United States despite holding a valid visa and has returned to Istanbul. The move has sparked outrage in Somalia, where officials say the decision harms fairness and pr
For Omar Artan, the trip to the biggest stage in world football was already scheduled. Then the United States turned him away.
Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States for the FIFA World Cup, according to Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior advisor to Somalia’s ministry of youth and sports. Abshir said Artan had a valid visa but was refused and has since flown back to Istanbul.
Artan was named a match official for the tournament in April, and the appointment carried a rare symbolic weight: he was set to become the first Somali to referee at a World Cup.
Abshir said the denial is not just a personal blow. “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 told AFP. He added that Artan is widely respected and that he “deserves the support of the entire football community.”.
The timing matters. The story is unfolding as Iran’s national team arrives in Mexico for FIFA World Cup matches after visa concerns. with players and coaches speaking publicly amid tensions between Iran and the United States. In that wider climate. Artan’s blocked travel has become part of a broader picture of how immigration decisions can collide with sports planning at the worst possible moment.
Somalia is on the list of countries on President Donald Trump’s travel ban. FIFA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have been contacted for comment.
The sequence of events is now clear: Artan was selected in April, he held a valid visa, the U.S. still denied entry, and he has returned to Istanbul—leaving scheduled matches without his officiating presence. For a referee on the verge of a landmark first for his country, the loss isn’t abstract.
Artan’s career milestones only sharpen what’s at stake. He became the first person from Somalia to take charge of a continental final when he refereed the 2024–25 CAF Champions League final. In 2025, he was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football.
As the World Cup moves forward and administrative decisions continue to shape who can step onto the field, Artan’s absence underscores how quickly global sports can be pulled into international politics—especially when entry rules meet tournament schedules.
Omar Artan Somalia referee FIFA World Cup denied entry United States visa Donald Trump travel ban FIFA Department of Homeland Security CAF Champions League final Confederation of African Football