Somali referee Artan barred from entering USA
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, is denied entry to the United States.
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Notable Quotes
"I would like to thank Fifa and Caf for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future."
— Omar Abdulkadir Artan , Athlete
"Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career."
— Omar Artan , Athlete
"Soccer would not exist without immigrants. Immigrants play and coach the game, work in the stadiums, fill the stands, and make celebrations like the World Cup possible."
— Zohran Mamdani , Politician
"Our nation should not ban anyone from our shores simply because of their race or their ethnicity."
— Edward Ahmed Mitchell , Activist
"Omar is among Africa's most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community."
— Ciise Aden Abshir , Activist
"I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future."
— Omar Artan , Athlete
"I would like to thank Fifa and Caf for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future."
— Omar Artan , Athlete
"While I can't go into the derog on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."
— Andrew Giuliani , Politician
"Every few hours, it's another story about fans denied, player denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs."
— Ian Wright , Celebrity
"Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community."
— Ciise Aden Abshir , Activist
"Omar Artan is a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis."
— Hassan Sheikh Mohamud , Politician
Key People
Andrew Giuliani leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup.
Ciise Aden Abshir is a sports ministry advisor in Somalia.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell is the deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
President of Somalia who called Omar Artan a symbol of inspiration.
Ian Wright is a former England striker and football pundit.
Omar Artan is a Somali Fifa referee who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals.
Somali referee Omar Artan was set to become the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals.
Pierluigi Collina is the referees' chief who created a training hub for the World Cup officials.
Mayor of New York City.
Tags
All Coverage
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, is denied entry to the United States.
Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry into the United States, preventing him from officiating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. U.S. Customs and Border Protection cited 'vetting concerns' as the reason for his inadmissibility.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the country after arriving in Miami, preventing his participation in the FIFA World Cup.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection denied entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was slated to officiate at the FIFA World Cup, citing 'vetting concerns'.
Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry into the United States after being selected to officiate in the World Cup, with U.S. authorities citing 'vetting concerns'.
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, has been denied entry to the United States. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football men's referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey.
Omar Artan, set to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, was denied entry into the U.S. at Miami International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Protection cited 'vetting concerns' as the reason for his inadmissibility.
Somalian referee Omar Artan will miss the World Cup after the US denied him a visa to work during the tournament. Artan was voted best referee in Africa in 2025 and was set to become the first Somali ever to referee at men's World Cup finals.
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