FIFA President Laments Somali Referee Omar Artan’s Failed Entry into the US

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has lamented the incident involving Somali referee Omar Artan, who failed to enter the United States even after arriving in the country because his access was denied by local authorities. “It is very unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said during a press conference session in Mexico City. Infantino urged all parties to remain calm over the issue and assured that FIFA is not remaining silent and is striving to find the best solution. “Once again, we cannot control everything. We try, we will discuss, we will talk, and we will see the results later. We are working on everything,” Infantino stated. Besides Omar Artan, several individuals ranging from team photographers to supporters previously failed to enter the United States because their visa applications were rejected. It was previously reported that Omar Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football referee of the year and a candidate to become the first Somali referee to officiate a World Cup match, could not enter the US. Immigration authorities at Miami International Airport deemed Artan ineligible to be present and conduct activities in their country. Omar Artan himself asserted that all his documents were complete, even though Somalia is one of the countries on the US travel ban list. Following the rejection, Artan was forced to return to Istanbul, Turkey, from where he had flown to the US. Explaining their decision, a US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said that Artan had undergone “additional screening” upon arrival on Saturday.