Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan denied entry into United States ahead of 2026 World Cup (opens original article in a new tab)

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup due to vetting concerns, preventing him from officiating as he was set to be the first from his country to do so.

• Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the U.S. due to vetting concerns.
• He was scheduled to be the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup, part of FIFA's expanded 2026 roster.
• FIFA stated it does not intervene in host country immigration processes and will not challenge the denial.