The Somali government said it undertook extensive diplomatic efforts after learning that referee Omar Artan had encountered difficulties obtaining authorisation to enter the United States, which ultimately led to his exclusion from the tournament.
Artan, who was set to become the first Somali official to referee at a FIFA World Cup finals, has been dropped from the 2026 tournament after being stopped at Miami International Airport.
The 2025 CAF men's referee of the year was travelling with valid documents and a diplomatic passport issued to ease earlier visa challenges. FIFA confirmed he will no longer officiate at the tournament, saying host countries made immigration decisions.
US authorities gave no official reason. Somalia is among the countries affected by a travel ban introduced under President Donald Trump's administration. Artan has since returned to Turkey and said he remains positive and focused on future competitions.
Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has returned to Mogadishu to a warm reception at Aden Adde International Airport by football officials, fans and well-wishers after being denied entry to the United States, where he had been scheduled to officiate at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Somalia: Somalia Regrets World Cup Absence of Referee Omar Artan After U.S. Entry Setback
Shabelle, 9 June 2026
Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports on Tuesday expressed deep regret over the circumstances that prevented internationally recognized Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from… Read more »
Somalia: Somali Referee Thanks Supporters After U.S. Entry Ban Derails World Cup Role
Shabelle, 9 June 2026
Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has thanked the football community and the Somali public for their support after he was denied entry to the United States,… Read more »
Somalia: First Somali Referee Omar Artan Denied Entry Into U.S.
Vanguard, 8 June 2026
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to make history as the first official from his country to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, has reportedly been denied entry into the United… Read more »
Nigeria: Full List of African Referees Selected for 2026 World Cup
Vanguard, 10 April 2026
FIFA has confirmed the list of African referees selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven officials earning spots at football's biggest tournament. Read more »
Nigeria: FIFA World Cup 2026 - Seven African Referees Listed, Nigeria Absent Again
Premium Times, 9 April 2026
According to Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, the selected officials emerged from a rigorous process spanning more than three years. Read more »
Somalia: Somali President Receives Referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Africa's Best Referee 2025
Shabelle, 23 November 2025
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday hosted referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan at the National Palace, following his recognition as Africa's Best Referee of 2025 by the… Read more »
The U.S. Department of State has announced that fans from certain countries subject to U.S. visa bond requirements will be exempt from paying those fees if they are traveling to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In 2025, the Trump administration began requiring visitors to the US from certain countries to pay bonds of between $5,000 and $15,000 to obtain a tourist visa. Five of the 50 countries subject to visa
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US President Donald Trump has said that he did not want Somali immigrants in the United States, telling reporters they should "go back to where they came from." He described Somalia as a country "with no structure."
These remarks coincided with reports of a planned immigration enforcement operation targeting Minnesota's large
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Senegal has been named as one of the continent's strongest contenders for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as the Lions of Teranga reached the World Cup quarter-finals on debut in 2002 and again made an impact on their return to the tournament in 2018 and 2022.
And the West Africans are not alone in their quest - African representation at the World Cup has grown from one team in 1934 to a fixed allocation of five
Read more »
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