A Somali referee widely regarded as one of Africa’s best officials has reportedly been denied entry into the United States and sent back to Istanbul after arriving at Miami International Airport ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, was reportedly stopped at the point of entry and placed on a return flight despite holding a diplomatic passport issued with the assistance of the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. The embassy said the passport was provided to ease previous visa-related challenges.
Artan had travelled from Kenya and transited through Turkey before arriving in Miami, but was turned away on arrival. No official explanation has been given for the decision.
This comes after FIFA recently stated that his visa issue had been resolved, confirming that he “had been fully resolved and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.”
Somalia is included on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list. He was quoted last month describing Somali immigrants in the United States as “they’re all crooks,” and earlier in January referred to Somalia as “the worst country in the world.”
Artan was recently honored as Africa’s Best Referee for 2025 at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards held in November.