The refusal of entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan by US authorities and his subsequent exclusion from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked widespread debate.

Axar.az reports that US President Donald Trump commented on the issue during a White House briefing.

“We’re working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country,” Trump said.

It should be noted that Artan was denied entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport and was barred from entering the United States for security reasons. As a result, he was removed from the list of referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Artan was named Africa’s Best Referee in 2025 and could have become the first Somali referee in history to officiate at a World Cup. FIFA has already confirmed that he will not participate in the tournament.