Omar Artan: Africa’s top referee out of the World Cup

“Every referee’s ambition is to go to the World Cup” Refereeing at the 2026 Fifa World Cup was set to be the highlight of Omar Artan’s career, but the Somali will miss out on the opportunity to take charge of matches on the game’s biggest stage after being denied entry to the United States. The 34-year-old, who was set to become the first man from his country to play an on-pitch role at the finals, was turned away by border officials in Miami despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry US visa. #fifaworldcup2026 #fifaworldcup