World Cup: the USA refuses a visa to the best African referee

The US authorities have prevented from entering in the United States all’Somali referee Omar Artandesignated by FIFA to referee some matches of the 2026 World Cup, and they sent him back to Türkiye. The story, reported by the Daily Star, concerns one of the most appreciated African race directors, awarded as best referee on the continent in 2025. Artan also refereed the second leg of the African Champions League final between Pyramids and Mamelodi Sundowns last year.

There is a risk of a case, the World Cup starts on June 11th

According to the British newspaper, the Somali leader had managed to obtain the visa after a long wait. Due to bureaucratic difficulties, he reportedly requested assistance from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, which allowed him to obtain a diplomatic passport. However, once it arrived in the United States, the document would not have been considered sufficient by the American authorities, who would have ordered their immediate rejection. The episode risks creating a case a few days before the start of the World Cup, scheduled for June 11th.