Infantino Defensive Over Omar Artan’s Ban From USA Ahead Of 2026 World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has urged calm following the exclusion of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from the World Cup after U.S authorities denied him entry despite holding a valid visa.

Artan, the first Somali referee selected to officiate at a World Cup, was detained for 11 hours by US Customs and Border Protection before being declared inadmissible over vetting concerns and suspected links to terrorist organisations.

Naija News reports that the official was subsequently returned to Turkey, removed from the tournament roster and has since travelled back to Somalia.

Addressing the controversy ahead of the competition, Infantino stressed that FIFA had no authority to overturn decisions taken by national governments on border control and security matters.

“Again, we don’t control everything. We try, we will discuss, we will speak, we will see,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s good to chill, relax, we work on everything, we try to solve everything. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.

“Believe me when I tell you, we always try to find solutions.

“But we need to respect we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces, we are a sports organisation.”

The FIFA chief said efforts would continue to address issues where possible, but insisted the governing body must respect the decisions of sovereign states.

Meanwhile, Somali authorities have expressed disappointment over the incident and said they would seek further explanations from the relevant authorities.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the government said: “Somalia will continue engaging with relevant partners to seek further clarification regarding this matter and to safeguard the dignity and rights of its citizens.”