Somali World Cup Referee Denied Entry to U.S., Calls it 'Lifelong Dream Shattered'

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan expressed profound disappointment after being denied entry into the United States, an event that shattered what he called "the biggest dream of my life." Artan, who was slated to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, was returned to Istanbul after arriving in the U.S. on June 6th.

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I am very, very disappointed.

Artan, 34, who was named African Football Confederation referee of the year in 2025, described being interrogated for eleven hours and held in a detention cell before being placed on a flight back. He asserted that he had all the correct documentation, including the proper visa and FIFA credentials, which he presented to immigration officers. "I think they have a problem with my country," Artan told The New York Times, suggesting his nationality was a factor in the denial.

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I am just a referee trying to live my dream, the biggest dream of my life, to participate in the World Cup.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated that the traveler was subjected to secondary inspection, a routine procedure, and was deemed inadmissible due to background verification issues. The agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, did not provide further details. The decision has drawn criticism in Somalia, where the Ministry of Youth and Sports defended Artan's integrity and lamented that diplomatic efforts with U.S. and FIFA authorities had failed to overturn the expulsion.

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I had the correct documentation, I had everything, I had the proper visa.

The incident occurs amidst ongoing U.S. travel restrictions affecting citizens from several countries, including Somalia, implemented during the Trump administration, which cited national security concerns. The White House has defended its immigration restrictions, stating they are necessary to prevent risks.

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I think they have a problem with my country.