Somali referee Artan barred from entering USA
A Somali embassy official in Nairobi told the BBC that Artan's diplomatic passport had been issued specifically to ease his travel after earlier visa difficulties.
- ▪A Somali embassy official in Nairobi told the BBC that Artan's diplomatic passport had been issued specifically to ease his travel after earlier visa difficulties.
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Somali referee Artan barred from entering USAImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Omar Artan has been a Fifa referee since 2018ByMike PeterBBC Sport journalistPublished8 June 2026, 18:39 BSTUpdated 8 minutes agoByAbdinasir AliBBC NewsSomali referee Omar Artan, who was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup finals, has been denied entry to the United States.Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey.No reason for Artan's repatriation has been issued by US immigration authorities, but Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration.A senior adviser to Somalia's…
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