Omar Abdulkadir Artan has revealed he was subjected to an intense 11-hour interrogation by border officials at Miami International Airport before being detained in a separate holding cell and deported from the United States [nytimes.com]. The Somali referee, who was selected to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, spoke out following his forced repatriation to Istanbul on Monday [nytimes.com].
The New York Times and international football outlets reported that Artan was held for several additional hours in isolation after his initial cross-examination concluded. Despite holding a valid U.S. travel visa and an official diplomatic passport, the 2025 CAF Referee of the Year was completely barred from entering American soil to fulfill his tournament duties [nytimes.com]. Artan stated that the line of questioning focused overwhelmingly on his nationality rather than his sporting credentials [nytimes.com].
“I think that they have a problem with my country,” Artan added during his first post-detention interview. The 33-year-old official emphasized that he was treated like a criminal despite arriving with official FIFA documentation and tournament accreditation [nytimes.com]. The incident marks the first time a selected World Cup match official has been denied entry by a host nation’s border control department during the modern era of the tournament.
The Somali Football Federation has escalated the matter to the highest levels of FIFA’s executive committee, branding the treatment of Artan as a profound institutional humiliation. While U.S. Customs and Border Protection has declined to comment on individual cases, legal experts point out that the administrative block aligns with the strict vetting protocols enforced by the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration directives.
