Somali Referee Denied US Entry, Misses World Cup Opportunity
Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States, leading to his removal from the list of officials for the World Cup finals, where he was expected to be the first Somali to officiate.
Miami Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 9, 2026 —
Somali Referee Denied US Entry, Misses World Cup Opportunity
Omar Artan, a referee from Somalia, has been removed from the roster of officials for the upcoming World Cup finals after being denied entry into the United States. Artan was slated to be the first Somali national to officiate in the tournament’s history.
The denial of entry has prevented Artan from participating in the World Cup finals. The specific reasons for his denied entry were not provided in the summary.
His absence means that Somalia will not have a representative as a referee in the global competition this year.
Story summarized from the original created by SignalNews Network on www.bbc.com, see more information here.
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