Somali referee Omar Artan will not officiate in the World Cup after being denied access to the US. ⁣ ⁣ US Customs and Border Protection said on Monday (June 8) that a Somali national planning to referee at the World Cup had been turned around at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns”. FIFA later confirmed that Artan wouldn't be able to train or officiate at the tournament.⁣ ⁣ Artan said in a statement that despite the circumstances, he is in a positive mood and is focused on the next challenges in his refereeing career. He thanked “FIFA and (the African federation) for all their support”.⁣ ⁣ #omarartan #worldcup #weare26 #worldcup2026 #somalia #fifa