What FIFA said after a Somali referee's 2026 World Cup exclusion | OneFootball

The 2026 World Cup hasn’t even started yet, and it already has another troubling episode. Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a 33-year-old Somali referee appointed by FIFA as part of the group of 52 officials for the World Cup, was reportedly deported to Turkey after being denied entry into the United States. If confirmed, the situation would prevent him from taking part in the tournament that was set to mark the biggest milestone of his career: becoming the first Somali referee to officiate at a senior World Cup.

Artan received his FIFA badge in 2018 and has since built a solid career in African refereeing. He officiated in World Cup qualifiers, the Africa Cup of Nations, and the CAF Champions League, where he worked nine matches. In total, he has six African World Cup qualifying matches and 36 yellow cards in the continental Champions League, without issuing any straight red cards in any of those matches. Numbers that supported his appointment to the world’s biggest tournament.

Without going into too much detail and placing the decision entirely on the United States government, FIFA released a statement confirming the decision: «FIFA can confirm that appointed referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to train or officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after being denied entry into the United States. FIFA is not involved in the immigration process of host countries, including the granting of visas, and was informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not change. In line with previous FIFA events, the government of a host country ultimately determines who receives a visa and who can enter its country«.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan

His case is not the only one to have caused immigration complications ahead of the tournament. According to reports, delegations from Iraq and Iran also reportedly faced obstacles entering the United States ahead of the World Cup, opening a debate over immigration management at a tournament being held on North American soil from June 11 to July 19.

Artan’s appointment for the 2026 World Cup carried enormous symbolic weight. Somalia had never had a referee at a senior World Cup, and his inclusion in the list of 52 officials selected by FIFA represented a milestone for African refereeing. Now, his immigration situation casts doubt on that participation, and FIFA has not yet officially commented on the case or on the steps to be taken to resolve it.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.