Omar Artan looks on during the AFCON Group F match between Gabon and Ivory Coast at Marrakech stadium, Marrakech, Morocco on December 31, 2025.
'Shameful': Global Fury at Racist Trump After Somali Referee Bound for World Cup Refused Entry by US
"I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."
The Trump administration is facing international outrage after Somali referee Omar Artan, who was selected by FIFA to work at the 2026 World Cup, was barred from entering the US.
As ESPN reported on Monday, FIFA confirmed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had denied Artan entry into the country after he arrived in Miami on Saturday on a flight from Istanbul.
CBP said that it had denied Artan entry after subjecting him to "additional inspection" and determining him "to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns."
FIFA released a statement after Artan's denial of entry in which it didn't criticize the US for barring one of its own referees, merely saying that "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications."
Artan reacted with disappointment to being denied the opportunity to referee the World Cup, but said he is "in a positive mood" and "focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career."
"I would like to thank FIFA and [the African federation] for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," Artan added. "I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."
In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Artan said that he was interviewed by CBP at the Miami airport for 11 hours and then detained for several more before being told he was being sent home.
"I am very, very disappointed," Artan told the Times. "I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."
"I had the right papers and everything," Artan added. "I had the right visa."
As noted in a Monday report from Agence France-Presse, Artan is a highly respected official, having been "named by the Confederation of African Football as men's referee of the year."
President Donald Trump has a long history of making racist attacks against Somalis, referring to them collectively as "garbage" last year, and accusing them last month of being "all crooks." Last June, Trump issued a proclamation designed to "fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals" from Somalia and other nations.
Given Trump's well documented bigotry, critics were quick to link the president's racism with the poor treatment Artan received upon arriving in the US.
"What an absolute disgrace," commented Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labour Party. "A FIFA-certified referee being denied entry to the United States purely because he is Somali. The World Cup is meant to bring people together. This is racism, plain and simple. Shameful."
Meral Hussein-Ece, a Liberal Democrat and member of the UK House of Lords, accused the Trump administration of completely spoiling the entire purpose of the World Cup, which is to bring people together in friendly global competition.
"A Somali referee makes history—first ever from his country to officiate a World Cup match," wrote Hussein-Ece. "The US: 'Not allowed in.' So much for 'sport brings the world together.' Unless you’re from the 'wrong' country. Shameful. The ‘World Cup’ belongs to everyone—not just those the US approves of."
Christina Unkel, president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, said what happened to Artan is "heartbreaking on so many levels," as "he worked so hard, proved himself on so many levels, and [was] selected as the best of the best."
Journalist Helen Kennedy said that countries around the world need to send Trump a strong message that the treatment of Artan is unacceptable.
"The world should boycott these games," she wrote. "How much does it take to show that?"
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The Trump administration is facing international outrage after Somali referee Omar Artan, who was selected by FIFA to work at the 2026 World Cup, was barred from entering the US.
As ESPN reported on Monday, FIFA confirmed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had denied Artan entry into the country after he arrived in Miami on Saturday on a flight from Istanbul.
CBP said that it had denied Artan entry after subjecting him to "additional inspection" and determining him "to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns."
FIFA released a statement after Artan's denial of entry in which it didn't criticize the US for barring one of its own referees, merely saying that "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications."
Artan reacted with disappointment to being denied the opportunity to referee the World Cup, but said he is "in a positive mood" and "focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career."
"I would like to thank FIFA and [the African federation] for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," Artan added. "I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."
In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Artan said that he was interviewed by CBP at the Miami airport for 11 hours and then detained for several more before being told he was being sent home.
"I am very, very disappointed," Artan told the Times. "I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."
"I had the right papers and everything," Artan added. "I had the right visa."
As noted in a Monday report from Agence France-Presse, Artan is a highly respected official, having been "named by the Confederation of African Football as men's referee of the year."
President Donald Trump has a long history of making racist attacks against Somalis, referring to them collectively as "garbage" last year, and accusing them last month of being "all crooks." Last June, Trump issued a proclamation designed to "fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals" from Somalia and other nations.
Given Trump's well documented bigotry, critics were quick to link the president's racism with the poor treatment Artan received upon arriving in the US.
"What an absolute disgrace," commented Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labour Party. "A FIFA-certified referee being denied entry to the United States purely because he is Somali. The World Cup is meant to bring people together. This is racism, plain and simple. Shameful."
Meral Hussein-Ece, a Liberal Democrat and member of the UK House of Lords, accused the Trump administration of completely spoiling the entire purpose of the World Cup, which is to bring people together in friendly global competition.
"A Somali referee makes history—first ever from his country to officiate a World Cup match," wrote Hussein-Ece. "The US: 'Not allowed in.' So much for 'sport brings the world together.' Unless you’re from the 'wrong' country. Shameful. The ‘World Cup’ belongs to everyone—not just those the US approves of."
Christina Unkel, president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, said what happened to Artan is "heartbreaking on so many levels," as "he worked so hard, proved himself on so many levels, and [was] selected as the best of the best."
Journalist Helen Kennedy said that countries around the world need to send Trump a strong message that the treatment of Artan is unacceptable.
"The world should boycott these games," she wrote. "How much does it take to show that?"
- Reagan-Appointed Judge Rips Into Trump Admin for Illegally Targeting Pro-Palestine Student Protesters ›
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- ICC Slams New US Sanctions on Judges as 'Flagrant Attack' on Rule of Law ›
- ‘Unprecedented, Incomprehensible, and Unjustifiable’: Amid Trump Meddling, FIFA Ripped for Balogun Decision | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | World Cup Fans Are Cheering for a Free Palestine | Common Dreams ›
The Trump administration is facing international outrage after Somali referee Omar Artan, who was selected by FIFA to work at the 2026 World Cup, was barred from entering the US.
As ESPN reported on Monday, FIFA confirmed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had denied Artan entry into the country after he arrived in Miami on Saturday on a flight from Istanbul.
CBP said that it had denied Artan entry after subjecting him to "additional inspection" and determining him "to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns."
FIFA released a statement after Artan's denial of entry in which it didn't criticize the US for barring one of its own referees, merely saying that "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications."
Artan reacted with disappointment to being denied the opportunity to referee the World Cup, but said he is "in a positive mood" and "focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career."
"I would like to thank FIFA and [the African federation] for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," Artan added. "I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."
In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Artan said that he was interviewed by CBP at the Miami airport for 11 hours and then detained for several more before being told he was being sent home.
"I am very, very disappointed," Artan told the Times. "I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."
"I had the right papers and everything," Artan added. "I had the right visa."
As noted in a Monday report from Agence France-Presse, Artan is a highly respected official, having been "named by the Confederation of African Football as men's referee of the year."
President Donald Trump has a long history of making racist attacks against Somalis, referring to them collectively as "garbage" last year, and accusing them last month of being "all crooks." Last June, Trump issued a proclamation designed to "fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals" from Somalia and other nations.
Given Trump's well documented bigotry, critics were quick to link the president's racism with the poor treatment Artan received upon arriving in the US.
"What an absolute disgrace," commented Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labour Party. "A FIFA-certified referee being denied entry to the United States purely because he is Somali. The World Cup is meant to bring people together. This is racism, plain and simple. Shameful."
Meral Hussein-Ece, a Liberal Democrat and member of the UK House of Lords, accused the Trump administration of completely spoiling the entire purpose of the World Cup, which is to bring people together in friendly global competition.
"A Somali referee makes history—first ever from his country to officiate a World Cup match," wrote Hussein-Ece. "The US: 'Not allowed in.' So much for 'sport brings the world together.' Unless you’re from the 'wrong' country. Shameful. The ‘World Cup’ belongs to everyone—not just those the US approves of."
Christina Unkel, president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, said what happened to Artan is "heartbreaking on so many levels," as "he worked so hard, proved himself on so many levels, and [was] selected as the best of the best."
Journalist Helen Kennedy said that countries around the world need to send Trump a strong message that the treatment of Artan is unacceptable.
"The world should boycott these games," she wrote. "How much does it take to show that?"
- Reagan-Appointed Judge Rips Into Trump Admin for Illegally Targeting Pro-Palestine Student Protesters ›
- United States Plunges into Unlawful Rule and Extrajudicial Killings ›
- ICC Slams New US Sanctions on Judges as 'Flagrant Attack' on Rule of Law ›
- ‘Unprecedented, Incomprehensible, and Unjustifiable’: Amid Trump Meddling, FIFA Ripped for Balogun Decision | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | World Cup Fans Are Cheering for a Free Palestine | Common Dreams ›