Anadolu Staff
09 June 2026•Update: 09 June 2026
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan said US authorities denied him entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite holding valid travel documents and a visa, preventing him from achieving what he called the biggest dream of his life.
Speaking to The New York Times, Artan said he underwent an 11-hour immigration interview after arriving at Miami International Airport before authorities refused him entry.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan said.
He said he was subsequently taken to a holding cell, where he spent several hours before being placed on a return flight to Istanbul.
“I am very, very disappointed,” he said. “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 officials did not provide an explanation for the decision and suggested it could be related to his nationality.
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” he said.
Artan was due to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.
