Somali referee Omar Artan has expressed disappointment after being denied entry into the United States, a decision that ended his hopes of becoming the first Somali official to referee at a FIFA World Cup finals.
Artan was removed from FIFA’s list of match officials for the 2026 World Cup after he was stopped by immigration authorities at Miami International Airport and later repatriated to Turkey.
Speaking to The New York Times on Tuesday, Artan said he could not understand why he was refused entry despite carrying valid travel documents.
“I am very, very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup,” Artan said.
The 2025 Confederation of African Football Men’s Referee of the Year revealed that he underwent an extensive immigration interview lasting about 11 hours before being denied entry.
“I had the right
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