June 9, 2026
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to commence this week, one of the tournament’s biggest off-field controversies involves Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at football’s biggest event.
Artan was set to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup before his dream was cut short by immigration authorities.
For Artan, the decision means missing what he described as the biggest opportunity of his career while for FIFA, it represents another unwanted controversy ahead of the first 48-team World Cup in history.
Here are five key things to know about the Somali referee denied US entry:
