World Cup row as United States denies entry to Africa’s leading referee | OneFootball

Omar Abdulkadir Artan’s World Cup debut is on hold after the United States refused him entry, halting his bid to become the first Somali referee at the tournament. The reasons remain unknown.

FIFA said in a statement that it does not control the host nation’s immigration processes and that Artan’s situation will not change for now.

He remains in good spirits and thanked the wider football community for its support. The Somali official was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 and took charge of the CAF Champions League final between Pyramids and Mamelodi Sundowns.

On 5 July 2025, Donald Trump signed an order restricting entry from 12 countries, including Somalia, which he described as a rotten country. That stance sits at odds with FIFA regulations requiring hosts to ease visa access for all qualified teams and referees.

In February, FIFA and the United States government launched the FIFA Pass programme to speed up and prioritise visa processing for the World Cup. It does not guarantee a visa or entry, final decisions rest with US immigration authorities.

Artan is not the first World Cup participant to face difficulties. On 7 June, Iran, currently based in Mexico, had 15 members of its staff still without US visas, while Iraq and South Africa also encountered issues on arrival, raising concern the list could grow before the tournament begins.

Source: Superdeporte