Somalia World Cup referee refused entry by US Border Patrol
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Altan was denied entry to the United States after hours of questioning ahead of the World Cup.
Africa’s top soccer referee says he is shocked he will no longer be able to officiate at the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States last Saturday.
Omar Abdulkadir Altan was chosen as one of 52 referees for this summer’s tournament and would have been the first Somali-born referee to take part in a World Cup match.
“I’m very, very disappointed,” Artan told The New York Times in a telephone interview from Istanbul, Turkey, where he was transferred after arriving in the United States.
“I’m just a referee trying to realize my dream, the biggest dream of my life, to play in the World Cup.”
Artan told the Times he flew into Miami International Airport on Saturday, June 6, five days before the tournament opener. But he was stopped by U.S. border officials, taken into a small room and interrogated for 11 hours.
“We had all the paperwork and everything,” Artan said. “I had the correct visa.”
He said he also showed official FIFA documents and photos from his more than 10-year career as a professional referee, including being named referee of the year in 2025 by Africa’s governing body for soccer.
After the interview, Artan said he was moved to another detention center for another few hours before being put on a flight back to Istanbul.
He said he was given no reason to be turned down.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said Artan was denied entry at the Miami airport because “it was determined that he was inadmissible due to screening concerns.”
Somalia is on President Donald Trump’s list of countries subject to a travel ban. FIFA has confirmed that Artan will not be able to take part in this year’s World Cup matches.
A FIFA spokesperson said over the weekend: “FIFA is not involved in host country immigration procedures, including visa checks, and we have been informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not change at this time.”
“As with previous FIFA events, the host country’s government ultimately decides who receives a visa and who is allowed entry into their country.”
