2026 World Cup: Infantino 'regrets' exclusion of Somali referee Omar Artan

Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, called 'regrettable' the US authorities' refusal to allow Somali referee Omar Artan to enter the country for the 2026 World Cup. He spoke on Wednesday in Mexico on the eve of the tournament's opening. Artan, named Best African Referee 2025, has since returned to Mogadishu. Infantino emphasized that FIFA is not 'king of the world' and must respect governments.