---
title: "Somali referee Omar Artan misses out on World Cup 2026: denied entry to the USA"
description: "🚫 Denial of entry to the USA has jeopardized Somali referee Omar Artan's participation in the 2026 World Cup. 🏆 The 2025 African Referee of the Year, selected by FIFA, cannot make it to the tournament. ⚽️"
date: 2026-06-08T23:17:05.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/somali-referee-omar-artan-misses-out-on-world-cup-2026-denied-entry-to-the-usa
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Somali referee Omar Artan misses out on World Cup 2026: denied entry to the USA

![Somali referee Omar Artan in FIFA kit with headset — excluded from WC-2026 due to US entry denial](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/08/somaliyskiy-arbitr-omar-artan-ne-popal-na-chm-2026-otkaz-vo-vyeзде-v-ssha/somaliyskiy-arbitr-omar-artan-ne-popal-na-chm-2026-otkaz-vo-vyeзде-v-ssha-1.webp)

The fate of one of the key referees for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup has been jeopardized. Somali referee Omar Artan, whose name recently made it onto the list of 52 selected FIFA officials, has been denied entry into the United States.

### Recognition and career

Omar Artan is a figure with a notable track record. He has been a FIFA referee since 2018. In 2025, his professionalism was recognized at the highest continental level: Artan was awarded the title of "Referee of the Year" for men by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

### Visa issues

Despite his high status and official invitation to officiate at the tournament, the Somali official has encountered bureaucratic obstacles. The denial of entry into the United States casts doubt on his participation in the World Cup, which will be held across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. For now, it remains unclear whether Artan will be able to overcome visa barriers and take to the field as a referee.