Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from officiating at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after US authorities barred him from entering the country.
World football governing body FIFA confirmed on Monday that Artan would no longer take part in the tournament.
Artan was reportedly refused entry into the United States after arriving at Miami International Airport on Saturday.
He would have become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup.
FIFA Confirms Artan’s Removal
A FIFA spokesperson said Artan would not be able to train or officiate at the tournament.
“FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States,” the spokesperson told AFP.
FIFA said it had no authority over immigration decisions made by the host country.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” the spokesperson said.
“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
Somalia on US Travel Ban List
Somalia is among several countries affected by a travel ban introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of a wider immigration crackdown.
Artan’s exclusion ends what would have been a historic appearance for Somali football on the world stage.
In a statement to AFP, Artan said he wanted to focus on the future.