Artan was supposed to be the first Somali to referee at a World Cup finals. That dream is now gone. FIFA confirmed on Monday that he will no longer train or officiate at the tournament after US authorities denied him entry. The world governing body said it is not involved in host country immigration processes and was told Artan’s status would not change.
Speaking to the Source Artan did not hide his pain. He said he was simply a referee trying to live the biggest dream of his life. He had the right papers. He had the right visa. It made no difference. After the long interview he was moved to a holding cell and detained for several more hours. Then he was put on a flight back to Istanbul.
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A senior adviser to Somalia’s youth and sports ministry confirmed Artan was travelling with valid documents. A Somali embassy official said a diplomatic passport had been issued specifically to smooth his travel after earlier visa difficulties. Somalia remains on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration. In December Trump told reporters he does not want Somali immigrants in the US and said they should return to where they came from.
Artan believes his country of origin sealed his fate. He said he thinks they have a problem with his country. Andrew Giuliani who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup told Source that while he could not share specifics it was the right decision by customs and border patrol. He said he supports that decision.
Artan became a Fifa referee in 2018 and has officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He is a known official in the Somali National League. Staying outside the US and only refereeing matches in Canada or Mexico was not an option. All match officials must remain at the training hub set up by referees chief Pierluigi Collina in Miami. The base handles training preparation and security for 52 referees and 88 assistant referees.
This incident is just the latest mess to hit the tournament. On Tuesday Iran’s football federation said their allocation of fan tickets for the group stage had been revoked. The chaos has drawn sharp criticism from former England striker Ian Wright. He labelled it a World Cup of chaos in a video on Instagram. He pointed to the endless stream of stories about fans players officials and journalists being denied entry. Now referees too.
Wright did not hold back. He said it was not funny despite him laughing at the absurdity. He called out the most expensive tickets ever costly accommodation and transport through the roof. He asked if this is how hosts behave for the greatest tournament in the world. He said he feels for American fans who are desperate for this and wondered how embarrassing it must be for them. His closing line was simple. This is a World Cup of chaos.
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