Somali Referee Denied Entry to the United States

A Somali referee praised as the best in Africa has reportedly been denied entry to the United States and was sent back to Istanbul, Turkey after arriving at Miami International Airport to participate in the 2026 World Cup.

Omar Abdulqadir Cartan, 34 years old, had his travel facilitated by the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, which stated it provided him with a diplomatic passport to assist with visa-related matters.

He traveled from Kenya and passed through Turkey before arriving in Miami, where he was then sent back. The reason was not disclosed.

FIFA confirmed last week that Cartan's visa situation had been fully resolved, and he would be ready to officiate at the FIFA World Cup matches.

Somalia is on the travel ban list imposed by the Trump administration, which last month referred to Somali immigrants in America as 'all thieves.' In January, he called Somalia 'the worst country in the world.'

Cartan was named the Best Referee in Africa 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in November.

The United States has denied visas to some members of the Iranian team to participate in the World Cup. Iranian players were able to land in Mexico last week.