A top football referee, set to become the first Somali to officiate at a men's World Cup, was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport this past weekend, leaving him stranded in Turkey and dropped from the tournament. The case of Omar Artan has thrown a spotlight on the real-world consequences of US travel restrictions for the 2026 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
Omar Artan, a 38-year-old Fifa referee since 2018 and the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was among 52 referees announced by Fifa to officiate at the World Cup finals, which run from 11 June to 19 July 2026. He had a valid travel visa – reportedly a diplomatic passport issued by the Somali embassy in Nairobi to ease earlier visa difficulties – and had flown from Nairobi via Turkey to Miami. But US customs and border patrol refused him entry, and no official reason has been given. Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told the BBC World Service: "While I can't go into the derog [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."
“Why a top Somali referee was denied entry to the US for the World Cup due to travel bans.”
Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by the Trump administration. In December 2025, the US government labelled Somalia as "high risk", imposing travel restrictions and entry limitations on individuals from those countries. The ban extends to other nations as well. Iranians, for example, have had problems entering the US for months, eventually moving their training base from the US to Mexico; Iranian support staff were denied visas at the last minute, a claim disputed by the US state department. Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was held and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare airport. Swiss midfielder Breel Embolo was denied an entry visa last week, though Swiss authorities successfully appealed. The Trump administration has also ordered air strikes on Somalia, claiming militants from Islamic State in Africa are operating there.
For UK readers, the story matters because it shows that even sporting merit cannot override national security policies. British fans travelling to the US for World Cup matches may face their own challenges if their nationality or background triggers extra scrutiny. More broadly, the 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted by three countries, and the US federal government has ultimate control over who enters its borders. Fifa, the world governing body, said in a statement that it is "not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications" and that "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country." That means no matter how prestigious the event, athletes and officials from countries on the US travel ban list are at risk of exclusion.
Q: Which countries are on the US travel ban list? The Trump administration has imposed travel restrictions on several countries, including Somalia, Iran, Iraq and others. The full list affected the visa approval process for individuals coming to the US.
Q: Why was Omar Artan denied entry despite having a valid visa? The US authorities did not give a public reason. However, Artan is Somali, and Somalia is subject to a broad travel ban. Andrew Giuliani said the decision was "right" based on "derogatory information", but no specifics have been disclosed.
Q: Has Fifa taken any action to help Artan? Fifa confirmed he will not officiate at the World Cup after being denied entry, and stated they cannot change his immigration status. The Somali Football Federation has contacted Fifa seeking clarification. Artan is currently in Istanbul, Turkey.
What happens next? Fifa must now find a replacement for Artan among the other 51 referees or call up a new official. The issue of travel restrictions is likely to resurface if other players or officials from restricted countries face similar problems. Meanwhile, Somalia's sports ministry and football federation continue to seek answers from US authorities and Fifa. The World Cup kicks off on 11 June 2026, with matches in the US, Canada and Mexico.