United States bars first Somali referee from World Cup finals | OneFootball

The United States has denied entry to Omar Artan, ending his historic bid to officiate at the World Cup finals.

FIFA confirmed that Artan will not train or referee at the 2026 World Cup after he was refused entry to the country, adding that it does not intervene in host-nation immigration processes and that authorities have indicated his status will not change for now.

Artan would have become the first Somali to take charge of matches at a World Cup finals.

He was named the Confederation of African Football’s male referee of the year in 2025.

Officials have not explained the decision. The administration led by Donald Trump, which includes Somalia on its list of banned countries, has defended the measure.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo