Top African referee Omar Artan refused access to US before World Cup

Source: The Guardian

A Somali referee, who was set to become the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup, has been denied access to the United States, according to reports.

Omar Artan is alleged to have been refused entry to the US at Miami International Airport this past weekend, despite having a valid travel visa.

Somalia is one of several countries currently under a broad travel ban imposed by the Trump administration and while the reasons behind any decision to deny Artan entry to the US have not been made clear, representatives of the Somali government said the decision had “undermined football’s commitment to fair play”.

Somali officials called for the football community to rally in support of Artan. “Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,” said Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, in a statement first shared with Agence France-Presse.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states