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US Bars Somali Referee Over Terror Links, Still Super Cup

6/12/2026

23 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Omar Artan Barred

The United States denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, removing him from the 2026 World Cup roster.
A U.S. State Department official said Artan was linked to terrorist groups, rendering him ineligible.
FIFA confirmed that Artan will not officiate at the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin announced Artan will referee the Super Cup on August 12 in Salzburg, answering Somalia’s request.

Summary

Omar Artan Referees

Omar Artan will become the first African referee to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on 12 August.
His appointment follows a UEFA-Confederation of African Football (CAF) Memorandum of Understanding that includes cooperation on referee development.
UEFA and CAF say the partnership aims to promote unity, equality and non-discrimination while creating pathways for African officials in elite European matches.

Summary

Artan Entry Denied

Artan was denied entry despite valid travel documents.
A Somali embassy official in Nairobi said Artan received a diplomatic passport for future travel.
Somalia is among twelve nations on the U.S. travel-restriction list created by President Donald Trump.
Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said he supports the customs decision to deny Artan entry.

History

Historical Context

After the September 11 2001 attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act and, in 2015, the Visa-Waiver Program Improvement Act required visas for nationals of Iraq, Syria, Iran and Sudan. President Trump’s Jan 27 2017 executive order then barred travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, affecting roughly 218 million people. The 2026 World Cup denial of Somali referee Omar Artan echoes that legacy of security-driven entry bans.

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Omar Artan Barred

The United States denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, removing him from the 2026 World Cup roster.
A U.S. State Department official said Artan was linked to terrorist groups, rendering him ineligible.
FIFA confirmed that Artan will not officiate at the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin announced Artan will referee the Super Cup on August 12 in Salzburg, answering Somalia’s request.

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