SOMALI WORLD CUP REFEREE OMAR ARTAN DENIED ENTRY INTO UNITED STATES DESPITE VALID VISA
Read Time:1 Minute, 17 Second
Agency Report
Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan, who is set to become the first official from his country to referee at the World Cup finals, has been denied entry into the United States, a Somali sports ministry official has said.
According to Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, Artan was stopped at Miami International Airport despite holding a valid US visa.
It was not immediately clear why the FIFA-listed referee was denied entry, although Somalia is among countries reportedly affected by a travel restriction introduced under former US President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,” Abshir told AFP.
He added that the incident not only affected the referee personally but also undermined the principles of fairness and merit in global football.
Artan, who is currently based in Istanbul, has since returned there following the incident.
A FIFA-listed referee since 2018, Artan has officiated in Somalia’s domestic league and gained international recognition through major tournaments, including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria. In 2025, he was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year.
He was among 52 referees selected by FIFA to officiate at the upcoming World Cup finals scheduled to hold across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had earlier praised Artan’s achievement, describing him as a symbol of inspiration for young Somalis and commending his professionalism and integrity.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0