Normally, in a high-stakes game such as the FIFA World Cup, it is the names of the players that hit the headlines. Interestingly, not in the 2026 games. The name that hit the headlines and remained there for days was that of Omar Artan, the Somali-born referee who was denied a visa by the Donald Trump administration in the USA. Days before the games, Omar had grabbed worldwide attention as the first Somali referee appointed by FIFA to officiate in the World Cup. Somalia is the East African country now famously known for lacking stability for a generation. Coming from that background and scaling the Olympian heights of the FIFA World Cup made what Omar achieved truly significant. Omar had been a fixture in the Somali football scene before capturing the attention of FIFA. Since 2018, he has been a FIFA-listed referee and is reputed to have officiated at many high-profile matches. He is the first Somali to take part in an African Cup of Nations tournament in 2023. He has also handled high-profile fixtures, including the 2025 CAF Champions League final and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[To crown it all, Omar was adjudged CAF men’s referee of the year, which is the topmost honour in his field of endeavour. Omar was one of the seven referees selected by FIFA for the World Cup, one each from Egypt, Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Gabon, and South Africa. He was poised to be the first Somali ever to reach this world stage. The selection process is said to be carried out rigorously over a three-year period, involving all six continental confederations, namely, UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, and OFC. The potential referees must pass strict physical fitness tests, complete medical check-ups, and attend specialised technical seminars. The 52 referees finally selected for the 2026 World Cup were chosen based on consistently high-level performance in domestic leagues and international fixtures. Readers will be surprised to learn that no Nigerian referee, or any official for that matter, made the list. In fact, to our collective worry in this country, no Nigerian referee has ever been selected to officiate at the World Cup. I have learnt that this is due perhaps to recurring concerns about persistent integrity issues and corruption within our domestic football administration. An additional reason could be a lack of exposure to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for our officiating teams. Nigeria is far behind many other African countries that have already adopted VAR in their domestic leagues. Omar was over the moon with joy at having achieved this feat and looked forward to showcasing his skills at the World Cup. His country lionised him. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud proclaimed that Artan had raised Somalia’s reputation on the international stage. The Somali President was reported to have said: “I commend the effort, professionalism, and integrity shown by referee Omar, as he has become a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis,”. The Somali President even extended diplomatic courtesies to their famous son by giving him a diplomatic passport. Alas, it was not meant to happen. Omar was denied entry into the USA, despite having a valid travel visa. His Somali citizenship was an aggravating factor in the USA’s decision to deny him entry. Under Trump’s administration, many countries, including Somalia, have been subjected to stringent vetting processes and tight immigration restrictions. Omar fell foul of those restrictions. FIFA was distraught but could not help the situation, noting that decisions regarding entry and visas ultimately rested with the host government. What complicated matters for Omar was the requirement that all the referees attend a centralised pre-match preparation at a training hub in Miami. As Omar could not gain entry to Miami, he had to be withdrawn from the tournament altogether. Naturally, Omar was devastated by this turn of events. He immediately returned to his country, Somalia, where he was received as a hero, with the red carpet rolled out for him at the Mogadishu Airport. He had an audience with the Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, as well as the President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. As the story of his rejection by the USA spread, Omar achieved instant global recognition and widespread support. In due course, other doors began to open for him. In the first instance, FIFA has confirmed that Omar will receive his full emoluments despite not participating in the tournament. There are also clear indications that Omar will continue to play meaningful parts in all future FIFA engagements, including the next World Cup, to be held in 2030, which will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Meanwhile, Omar is receiving glowing attention worldwide. Immediately after the World Cup disappointment, UEFA reached out to ask him to officiate at the Super Cup. He was the referee for the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, the winners of the 2
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