World Cup referee denied entry to USA three days before tournament kicks off

The World Cup is continuing to make headlines before the football has even begun as Donald Trump's controversial travel ban causes chaos.

It has long been suspected that travel could be a problem for a lot of players and staff attending the World Cup, which is set to begin on Thursday in Mexico.

The US are hosting the iconic football tournament alongside neighbours Mexico and Canada but Trump's travel ban list is already throwing up a lot of issues, with Switzerland forward Breel Embolo initially denied entry after he was implicated in a criminal case which saw him get in a fight all the way back in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Iran team is also facing some frankly ridiculous sanctions as the war between the US and the Middle Eastern country rages on. Members of staff have been denied entry into the country, while the squad will also be forced to stay in Mexico despite all three of their group stage games taking place in the US, meaning they will have to travel in and out of US on match days only.

And now, in the latest heartbreaking twist, a referee who was set to be the first Somalian referee to travel tot he World Cup, has been refused entry to the US and told that he will now miss the tournament.

A FIFA spokesperson said: “FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.

“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.

“In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

Artan had reportedly travelled through Kenya and Turkey before reaching Miami, after facing some difficulty in getting his visa, but he was then informed that he wasn't allowed in and was forced to return to Istanbul.

Naturally, there will be huge disappointment for Artan and his family but the decision has sparked outrage in Africa, where he is considered one of the top referees in the continent.

Somali official Ciise Aden Abshir said: “Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community.

“Denying him entry to the US and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play.”

Fans of Iran and Haiti, who are at their first ever World Cup, have also tragically been told that they cannot attend to see their countries play.

LADbible has contacted FIFA for comment.