World Cup 2026: Somali referee denied entry by US will officiate Uefa Super Cup final
Uefa has announced that Omar Artan, the Somali referee denied entry into the US for the World Cup, will take charge of the Super Cup final later this summer.
Fifa, world football’s governing body, removed Artan from the 2026 World Cup officiating roster after American authorities denied him entry into the country, ending what would have been the first World Cup finals appearance by a Somali match official.
Artan, the Confederation of African Football's men's referee of the year in 2025, was barred from entering the US at Miami International Airport.
Europe’s governing body, Uefa, announced on Thursday that Artan would now take charge of Aston Villa versus Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg, Austria, on 12 August.
The Super Cup is the annual match between the winners of Europe’s top two competitions, the Champions League and the Europa League.
US President Donald Trump’s administration said on Tuesday that Artan was denied entry into the country to officiate at the World Cup due to having links to “suspected members of terror organisations”. It did not provide further evidence of the claim.
“What happened has happened and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support Fifa gave me,” Artan said upon his return to a hero’s welcome in Somalia on Wednesday.
“I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country. I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be,” he added.
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one [World Cup]… I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
'Not safe from Ice raids'
In a statement Fifa said that, after discussions with US authorities, Artan would be unable to participate in the tournament.
The governing body, which organises football events all over the world, said that it is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications.
Artan was one of 52 referees selected by Fifa to officiate at the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.
A Fifa referee since 2018, Artan has officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations and in Somalia's national league competitions.
Somalia is among several countries affected by travel restrictions introduced by US President Donald Trump's administration.
A senior adviser to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the denial of entry and said Artan had been travelling with valid documents, the BBC reported.
A Somali embassy official in Nairobi said that Artan had been issued a diplomatic passport to help facilitate travel after previous visa-related difficulties.
The report said that the Somali Football Federation has contacted Fifa seeking urgent clarification.
"While I can't go into the derog [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision," Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service.
In December, Giuliani had said that the Trump administration cannot guarantee that non-US citizens will be safe from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raids at stadiums.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
Read Full Article on Middle East Eye →