A decision by US customs officials last week to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Artan is being met with blowback from fans and officials alike.
Artan, who was named Africa’s best coach last year, was set to become the first Somali to officiate a a World Cup. Artan has said it was the "biggest dream of [his] life."
The 34-year-old is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.
He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns.
Artan was issued a visa to travel to the US last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it.