Infantino silent as US denies Somalian referee historic World Cup moment

A Somali referee, poised to make history for his nation at the World Cup, has been denied entry to the United States and subsequently removed from the tournament by FIFA.

Omar Artan, who was set to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup, was cut from the final list after being turned away at Miami International Airport.

Artan, recognised as one of Africa’s top referees and named the continent’s best male referee in 2025, had been included in FIFA’s final selection two months prior.

Despite being issued a visa last week by the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, he was denied entry on Saturday due to "vetting concerns," according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which offered no further details.

Referee Omar Artan, center, signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final soccer match between AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns, in Rabat, MoroccoAP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File

The decision to bar a FIFA-appointed match official from entering a World Cup host country is highly unusual. Artan was scheduled to join other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami.

On Tuesday, the Somalia Youth and Sports Ministry stated it had not been informed of the reasons for Artan’s denial and confirmed its embassy in the U.S. was engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue, hoping he could still officiate at the tournament, which begins on Thursday.

The incident has drawn parallels with new travel restrictions imposed last year under the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, which raised concerns that fans, players, and officials from affected countries – many of them African – might face entry denials despite holding valid visas.

"When Customs and Border Protection said Omar Artan was found inadmissible because of vetting concerns without specifying the reason, it may be related to those broader screening measures rather than any specific allegation against him," Isse Aden Abshir, a senior adviser at the Somalia sports ministry and a former national team captain, told The Associated Press.

CBP confirmed that Artan underwent "additional inspection," a standard part of their process to verify information or determine admissibility. "Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry," CBP stated on Monday, without naming Artan directly, though he is the only Somali referee selected.

CBP reiterated that all travellers seeking entry into the U.S., including World Cup players, coaches, and staff, are subject to inspection and vetting. "Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection," the statement added.

Infantino is yet to comment on the matter Christopher Lee/Getty Images

FIFA confirmed it was not involved in immigration processes and had been informed by U.S. authorities that Artan’s "status will not be changed at present," meaning he would be unable to train or officiate. "In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country," FIFA said.

While FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino had cultivated close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump’s government in preparation for the U.S. co-hosting the World Cup, Infantino has not yet commented on the issue. FIFA released a statement on Artan’s behalf.

"Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career," Artan said. "I would like to thank FIFA and (the African football confederation) for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future. I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."

Artan, who officiated the decisive leg of the African Champions League final last month, had spoken in a recent interview with Al Jazeera about the honour of being selected and the challenges he faced in conflict-torn Somalia, including navigating explosions in Mogadishu to reach training. "You cannot give up as a referee," Artan said in the interview. "This (going to the World Cup) was my big, big target and I'm really excited."