Who is the Somali referee barred from entering the US for the World Cup?

Omar Artan, a 34-year-old Somali referee selected for the 2026 World Cup, was denied entry to the United States by border officials in Miami despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry US visa. He was set to become the first Somali to officiate on the pitch at a World Cup finals. The Somali government is mounting diplomatic efforts, but Artan appears set to be excluded from the tournament. He is currently in Istanbul and expected to return to Mogadishu.