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  "path": "/2026/06/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-denied-entry-usa-world-cup-28697683/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-08T17:04:06.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "World Cup",
    "FIFA",
    "Sign up here",
    "Istanbul",
    "Champions League",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Omar Artan was expecting to officiate at the World Cup this summer (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nSomali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry into America, where he was due to referee at the World Cup this summer.\n\nThe 34-year-old had travelled to the United States via Kenya and Türkiye, granted a diplomatic passport in Nairobi in an attempt to help his travel.\n\nSomalia is one of the countries on the travel ban list brought in by President Trump.\n\nDespite FIFA claiming last week that Artan’s visa situation had been ‘fully resolved and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup,’ he has been denied entry into the US.\n\n##  All the World Cup action\n\nGet everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day. Sign up here.\n\nThe referee had a valid visa and the diplomatic passport, but has flown back to Istanbul.\n\nCiise Aden Abshir, senior advisor to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, told AFP: ‘Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community.\n\n‘Artan had a valid visa for the US. He has flown back to Istanbul, where he has been staying.\n\nArtan refereed in the CAF Champions League final (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n‘Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play.’\n\nArtan has been a FIFA referee since 2018 and has officiated at the African Cup of Nations and the CAF Champions League.\n\nHe was named the CAF men’s referee of the year in 2025 and became the first Somalian to be selected to referee at the World Cup finals this year.\n\nArtan with Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee, last year (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nThe Iran team has also faced issues ahead of the World Cup, with players only issued with visas last week.\n\nThey have also been told that they must fly in and out of US territory on the same day of their matches from their base in Mexico.\n\nAll of Iran’s group stage games are to be held in the US.\n\nSome support staff have not been given the visas they applied for, with the US State Department telling the BBC that they would not allow Iran to ‘abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences’.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Top African referee Omar Artan denied entry to USA for World Cup"
}