A Somali referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, will not be participating in the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry into the United States. According to a US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson, Artan underwent additional inspection upon arriving in Miami and was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns.

Background

Somalia is one of the 39 nations affected by the Trump administration’s travel ban, which has led to increased scrutiny for nationals from these countries. Artan, who was named Africa’s top male referee in 2025, was chosen by the Confederation of African Football to take part in this year’s World Cup.

FIFA has stated that it is not involved in host country immigration processes and has been informed that Artan’s status will not be changed at present. The news of Artan’s ban comes after other countries, notably Iran, have also had issues with entry into the United States amid the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.