The government of Somalia considered “regrettable” the entry ban by the United States immigration authorities to Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was supposed to be the first Somali to referee a match in the history of the World football, and demanded an explanation from Washington and FIFA.
In a statement, the Ministry of Youth and Sports indicated that, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is carrying out “diplomatic efforts” and “speaking with the competent authorities of the USA and FIFA to obtain a clear explanation on this matter.”
“It is regrettable that such treatment appears to have taken place and the Ministry is closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
The Somali government highlighted that Artan “has represented his country, his profession and Somali sport with distinction.”
He also asserted that “their participation at the international level is a source of pride and honor for all Somalis and reflects the progress and positive advances that Somali athletes and sports officials are making on the world stage.”
In a statement, the African referee himself expressed his gratitude “to the football family for their messages” and wished his colleagues “great success” in the World Cup.
«Despite the circumstances, I maintain a positive attitude and am focused on the next challenges of my career as a referee. “I want to thank FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) for all their support and I am committed to maintaining my refereeing level while I focus on the future,” he stressed.
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A spokesperson for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) noted that the Somali referee was “declared inadmissible due to problems in the background check process and was denied entry,” after landing on June 6 at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul.
Artan, elected CAF Men’s Referee of the Year 2025, was set to become the first Somali to referee a match in World Cup history.
For its part, FIFA issued another statement explaining that the World Cup organizing body does not participate in the immigration processes of the host country, including the granting of visas.
Somalia, a country shaken by jihadist violence, is on the long list of countries whose citizens are subject to a travel ban to the United States by the government of President Donald Trump, which also includes Afghanistan, Libya, Iran and Yemen.
The World Cup 2026 It will take place in stadiums in the US, Mexico and Canada and will begin this Thursday, June 11, with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the Banorte Azteca Stadium, corresponding to group A.
