US denies Somali referee World Cup entry

MIAMI — The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, a decision that represents a fresh visa flashpoint at a World Cup the US is co-hosting.

The case matters beyond football because it shows how US entry rules now reach the officials, players and fans an international tournament depends on — including the African travellers Kwacha News readers count among them. Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, was barred after arriving in Miami, and FIFA has dropped him from its list of match officials.

US authorities confirmed the refusal. According to Al Jazeera, Artan was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns" after landing in Miami. The BBC reported that the award-winning referee was removed from the officials' list once entry was denied, and the news agency Reuters confirmed he would miss what would have been his World Cup debut.

The 2026 World Cup is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, which makes US entry rules a gatekeeper for everyone the tournament draws. For African readers the episode echoes a wider pattern Kwacha News has tracked, including the rising cost and difficulty of visas for African travellers. This story is part of our continuing world coverage.

What happened

Artan travelled to the United States expecting to take up a place among the tournament's match officials. On arrival in Miami, US border authorities refused him entry, citing vetting concerns, and he was unable to proceed. FIFA, the world football governing body, then removed Artan from the roster because an official who cannot enter the country cannot work the matches.

The refusal cut short a milestone. Artan had been set to become the first Somali to referee at a World Cup, a marker of progress for officiating from a country more often in the news for conflict than for sport. The vetting-concerns formula US authorities used is the standard wording for an inadmissibility decision and was not accompanied by further public detail.

Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals, is dropped from the list of officials after he was denied entry to the United States.

— Reporting on the entry refusal, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cnv9drg0qzgo">BBC Sport, 8 June 2026</a>

Background

Visa and entry friction has shadowed the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. Because the United States is one of three host nations, every participant who needs to set foot on US soil — whether an official, a player or a supporter — runs through US immigration rules, and teams have already had to plan travel around them. Iran's squad, for instance, has based itself in Mexico and flies in and out for matches.

For Africa, the entry question is part of a longer story about the cost and uncertainty of travel to the global North. Kwacha News has reported on US visa and embassy cuts affecting African applicants, a tightening that raises the odds of refusals and delays for travellers from the continent. A high-profile refusal at a sporting event makes the abstract concrete.

The tournament itself has drawn attention for off-field matters as much as on-field ones, from squad logistics to rule changes Kwacha News set out in its explainer on the 2026 World Cup rule changes. Artan's case adds officiating to the list of areas where geopolitics and immigration policy intrude on the game.

What to watch

The first thing to watch is whether FIFA or Somali football authorities challenge the decision or seek a replacement assignment for Artan at a later tournament. Football's governing body has limited leverage over a sovereign state's entry rules, so the practical outcome is likely a quiet reassignment rather than a reversal.

The second is whether more officials, players or fans face refusals as the tournament proceeds. A single denial is an incident; a pattern would become a story about whether a co-host can guarantee access to the event it agreed to stage. Teams and federations will watch closely for further cases.

The third is the read for African travellers, including Zambians planning to attend or work at the World Cup. Analysis of US entry policy shows refusals turn on vetting decisions that applicants cannot easily predict, so the next signal is how host authorities handle the flow of visitors from the continent. The decision point that matters next is whether the US issues guidance to reassure participants, or whether refusals continue case by case.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking since the refusal was reported. Short answers follow, drawn from the BBC, Al Jazeera and Reuters reports and from Kwacha News coverage of visas and travel.

What is the Omar Artan World Cup entry case?

In short, the case is the United States' refusal to admit Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to officiate at the 2026 World Cup. According to Al Jazeera, US authorities determined him inadmissible on vetting grounds after he arrived in Miami, and the data shows FIFA then dropped him from the officials' roster.

Why was the referee denied entry to the US?

The answer is a vetting decision. Evidence from US authorities, reported by Al Jazeera, shows Artan was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns". In other words, border officials judged him ineligible to enter, without releasing further public detail on the reasons.

How does this affect African travellers to the World Cup?

Simply put, it highlights US entry risk. Research into visa policy shows African applicants already face higher costs and more refusals, and a high-profile denial at a co-hosted tournament demonstrates that even accredited participants can be turned away. The key is that US rules apply to everyone the event draws.

Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?

The answer is the United States, Canada and Mexico, which are co-hosting the tournament. Data on the schedule shows many matches are played on US soil, so US entry rules act as a gatekeeper for officials, players and fans who need to travel there.

What should readers watch next?

The key is whether refusals continue. According to the pattern so far, the next signals are any FIFA response, further denials of officials or fans, and whether US authorities issue guidance. Analysis shows a single case is an incident, but a series would raise questions about access to the event.

Sources

Al Jazeera: US confirms denying entry to Somali referee. BBC Sport: Somali referee Artan barred from entering US, reporting confirmed by the news agency Reuters. Kwacha News coverage: the cost of visas for African travellers, US visa and embassy cuts, and the 2026 World Cup rule-changes explainer.