Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan denied entry into United States ahead of 2026 World Cup

There will be a change to the FIFA official referee roster for the World Cup as Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been denied entry into the United States. Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on June 6 but he wasn't allowed to enter due to "vetting concerns."

Artan was among FIFA's 52 referees slated to officiate matches, an increase of 16 from 2022 in Qatar due to the expansion to 48 teams and 104 games. In a statement by a FIFA spokesperson, the organization will not fight that denial as host governments determine who receives a visa for admission.

"FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States," the statement said. "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan's status will not be changed at present. In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."

Somalia is among the 39 countries listed on President Donald Trump's travel ban, although there are exemptions to that listing for World Cup athletes and staff. In a statement, Customs and Border Protection said that he was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry."

Artan was named the ref of the year by the Confederation of African Football in 2025 and also made history by becoming the first person from Somalia to take charge of a continental final when he refereed the 2024-25 CAF Champions League finals. It's unknown at this time if FIFA will add another referee or just shift around games that he was to cover, as referee assignments aren't public until 24-48 hours before a match.

The World Cup kicks off on Thursday as Mexico hosts South Africa at 3 p.m. Eastern.