World Cup: Somali referee denied entry to US, suspected of ‘terrorist’ ties

Referee Omar Artan, center of Somalia, is confronted by a player after blowing the whistle for a penalty kick during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo)

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to become the first official from his country to officiate at the World Cup, has been denied entry to the United States because of suspected links to members of terrorist organizations, the Associated Press news agency reported, citing a US official.The 34-year-old referee was selected for FIFA’s final list of referees for the 2026 World Cup and was due to join the other referees at their training base in Miami ahead of the tournament. The United States along with Mexico and Canada are hosting the World Cup.U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan “was determined to be inadmissible due to screening concerns and was denied entry.”After arriving in Florida, Artan was questioned about Somali politics and the Al Shabaab militant group, described by the US Africa Command in 2022 as “al Qaeda’s largest, wealthiest and deadliest affiliate”.A U.S. official was later quoted by the AP as saying Artan was rejected because of “associations with suspected members of terrorist organizations.”Following FIFA’s decision, Artan was removed from the list of World Cup referees. He returned to Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, where he was welcomed by supporters and urged young people to remain proud of their country.Artan is one of the most respected referees in Africa. In 2018, he joined the FIFA International Jury and became the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations when he officiated a group stage match between Tunisia and Namibia in January 2024.In May this year, he managed the second leg of the African Champions League final in Morocco. He was also named the best referee in Africa in 2025.FIFA selects referees for the World Cup through a lengthy evaluation process. Referees are first nominated by their national associations before progressing through continental tournaments and FIFA competitions. Artan officiated at the U20 Men’s World Cup in Chile last year and later took part in World Cup preparation camps before being included in the final list announced in April.Somalia is one of nearly 40 countries whose citizens are barred from entry as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, and the AP reported that Somali officials say Artan may have been denied because of the restrictions.