Somali referee Omar Artan barred from US World Cup over alleged terror links, returns to hero's welcome

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, was denied entry to the United States after landing in Miami for a pre-World Cup training camp, derailing his historic appointment as the first official from his country to work the tournament. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said a secondary inspection uncovered derogatory information, including an "association with suspected members of terror organizations," making him ineligible for admission under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The border stop

Artan arrived at Miami International Airport last weekend holding a valid visa, FIFA accreditation, and a diplomatic passport. He told The New York Times he "had the right papers" and "the right visa." Border officials interviewed him for over 11 hours before detaining him in a holding cell and putting him on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey, where his journey had begun.

Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country -- full stop.

The White House did not respond to questions from The Athletic about the nature of the alleged ties or which specific group was involved. Somalia is one of 12 countries subject to tightened travel restrictions under the Trump administration.

A hero's return to Mogadishu

On Wednesday, Artan landed at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu, where several hundred fans waving flags, government officials, and football federation representatives greeted him. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud later received him at his office. The Somali government called the entry ban "deeply regrettable" and described Artan as the country's "most successful sports personality and a source of great national pride."

Somalia belongs to all of us. In easy times and in difficult times, I want to tell young people not to lose hope in our country.

Artan told the crowd he remained ready to continue his career and looked ahead to the 2030 World Cup in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. "I will be at the next World Cup," he said.

A rising career halted

Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018 and broke new ground for Somali football. He was the first Somali to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations, handling a Tunisia-Namibia group match in January 2024, and refereed the decisive leg of the African Champions League final in Morocco in May. He was named Africa's best male referee in 2025. FIFA selected him as one of 52 match officials for the 2026 tournament after a multi-year evaluation process that included work at the men's Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

Diplomatic and political fallout

Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports said it was working with the foreign ministry to seek a clear explanation through diplomatic channels with both U.S. authorities and FIFA. Somali officials believe FIFA bears some responsibility, though the governing body has maintained that entry decisions rest solely with U.S. immigration authorities. U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Washington state, questioned whether the case was isolated or part of a broader pattern, saying the White House task force needed to communicate more aggressively about what was happening at ports of entry.

Is this isolated or more broad-based? It clearly needed answers.

The episode has reignited debate over the intersection of immigration policy and international sport, with the absence of a selected referee raising questions about the universality of a tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.