Somali referee Omar Artan was turned away from the United States at Miami’s border control, despite holding a diplomatic passport and a visa issued for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The incident leaves him unable to attend training in the Miami hub that all World Cup match officials must use.
Artan, 34, had recently been selected as one of six African referees for the tournament and had been praised by the Somali president for his achievements. He had travelled to Turkey and was scheduled to fly to Florida for a pre‑tournament seminar in which FIFA’s chief referee Pierluigi Collina trains the 88 assistant referees for the finals.
The U.S. border agents cited “vetting concerns” after a lengthy questioning that reportedly focused on Somalia’s history with the al‑Shabab militant group, leading to Artan’s being placed on a return flight. He said he spent 11 hours in inspection, and that the Australian authorities eventually decided not to change his status. FIFA clarified that it has no influence over host‑nation immigration decisions and that it was “deeply saddened” by the outcome.
Artan expressed gratitude for messages of support from the football community and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining high refereeing standards for future competitions. The situation is a further reminder that the political context of a referee’s country can affect their participation in the world’s biggest sporting events.
