FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the organization tried to help Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan after US authorities denied him entry to the country, effectively ending his historic appointment to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Infantino’s remarks, which included advising “relaxing rather than shouting,” arrived after days of international attention on a case that has become one of the more uncomfortable subplots of this summer’s tournament.
Artan, born in 1992, was selected as one of just three African center referees for the World Cup. For Somalia, a country not exactly known as a pipeline for FIFA match officials, this was a genuinely landmark moment. Then US border authorities decided otherwise.
What happened at Miami
Artan attempted to enter the United States between June 6 and June 8, 2026, arriving in Miami for a FIFA seminar ahead of the tournament. He was carrying a diplomatic passport and a valid visa. Neither mattered.
US authorities cited “vetting concerns” and reported what they described as derogatory information as reasons for barring his access. The specifics of those concerns have not been publicly detailed.
