Just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, one of Africa's leading referees found himself at the centre of an international dispute. Omar Artan, who was set to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, was denied entry into the United States despite holding the necessary travel documents.
The decision ended his World Cup hopes and drew criticism from Somali officials, football supporters and human rights advocates, while also raising questions about immigration policies at a tournament promoted as a global celebration of sport.
