Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has reportedly been refused entry into the United States despite his appointment as an official for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to reports, Artan was intercepted by immigration authorities after arriving at Miami International Airport and was later placed on a return flight to Istanbul on Monday.

The incident comes just days before the World Cup begins across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Artan had been selected as one of Africa's referees for the tournament.

On Friday, the Somali Embassy in Nairobi stated that it had assisted with his travel arrangements using a diplomatic passport.

Artan is widely regarded as one of the continent's top match officials. He was named Africa's Best Referee for 2025 during the CAF Awards held in Rabat, Morocco.

His reported denial of entry is expected to attract attention given his role at FIFA's premier competition. Somalia is among the countries affected by US travel restrictions, with most Somali citizens subject to limitations on certain visa categories.

However, exemptions can apply to diplomats and individuals whose travel is considered to be in the national interest of the United States.

At the time of writing, neither FIFA nor the Somali Football Federation have issued a public statement on the matter.

It remains uncertain whether Artan will be able to take part in the tournament, which is scheduled to get underway this week in North America.