The United States denied entry to CAF Referee of the Year Omar Artan, forcing the Somali official out of the FIFA World Cup and raising concerns about visa restrictions affecting tournament participants

Omar Artan was set to become the first Somalian to officiate a World Cup match. He was denied entry to the United States on Monday at Miami International Airport.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny over US visa policies affecting participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and…