Visa scandal at the World Cup: Somali referee deported from the US

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has officially announced that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the country by the US due to its immigration policies, will not be able to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins this month. The 34-year-old successful referee, who was sent back to Istanbul yesterday after being held for hours at Miami Airport and denied entry to the US, has been ruled out of the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico and beginning under the shadow of refugee/migrant crises, has witnessed a visa scandal that will go down in football history. Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was named "Referee of the Year" in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and was preparing to become the first Somali referee in World Cup history to officiate a match in the tournament, was blocked by US bureaucracy.

DENIED ENTRY AT MIAMI AIRPORT, SENT TO ISTANBUL

The experienced referee, who flew to the US for referee seminars and training camps for the tournament, was stopped by federal officers during passport control at Miami International Airport. Artan, whose US entry visa was canceled citing the country's strict immigration policies and security screenings, was deported and sent back to Istanbul on a connecting flight yesterday.

FIFA CLOSES THE DOORS: "THE HOST COUNTRY HAS SOLE AUTHORITY"

Following the crisis, FIFA, to which the sports community turned its eyes, issued an official statement indicating that it would not back down and that the decision could not be changed. FIFA emphasized that it could not interfere with the sovereign rights of host countries with the following statements:

"FIFA is not involved in the host country's immigration processes, including visa assessments, and has been informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan's situation will not be changed at this time.

In line with previous FIFA organizations, the host government ultimately decides who receives a visa and who is admitted to the country. Mr. Artan will not be able to officiate in this tournament."

SHARP REACTION FROM THE AFRICAN FOOTBALL COMMUNITY

The banning of Artan, who was named Africa's best referee just a year ago and is at the peak of his career, for political reasons was met with great reaction by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Somali Football Federation. In initial assessments, it was argued that a shadow had been cast over the principle of the universality of sport and that the US government had displayed a discriminatory attitude that damaged the spirit of the tournament.

FIFA is expected to include another African referee from the reserve list with an emergency code to replace Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was removed from the squad.

News Source: 12punto