Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan in photo from January 2024. Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP Omar Artan, a Somali referee scheduled to work at the 2026 World Cup, was denied entry to the United States by the Trump administration, an official from the African country said on Monday (8). The reasons for this expulsion are not yet known, as Artan had a valid visa, Ciise Aden Abshir, advisor to the Somali Ministry of Youth and Sports, told AFP. Somalia is one of several countries whose citizens are subject to a travel ban on the United States imposed by Donald Trump's administration. Artan "is one of the most respected referees in Africa and (...) denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from working (...) harms not only him personally, but also undermines football's commitment to equity, merit and the spirit of fair play", lamented Abshir. "The football community must support him at this difficult time," added the advisor, who is a former captain of the Somali national team. Omar Artan would be the first Somali referee to referee World Cup games. At 34, he was among 52 referees selected to work at this year's edition of the tournament, jointly organized by Canada, Mexico and the United States. A member of FIFA since 2018, Artan plays in the Somali league and was elected Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2025. Somalia is in Donald Trump's sights. In late November, the American president described the country as "rotten" and declared his intention to end the special status that protects Somali citizens from deportation.