FIFA president Gianni Infantino has now responded after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was reportedly denied entry into the United States ahead of the World Cup. Artan is regarded as one of the leading referees in the game, so the situation quickly became another major talking point around travel and entry problems before the tournament. 

With players, staff, and officials already facing questions over access to the United States, Infantino addressed the incident and made it clear where FIFA stands as concerns continue to grow before the competition begins.

Infantino described the situation as regrettable while stressing that FIFA does not have control over all aspects of international travel and immigration decisions.

In his statement Infantino said, “It’s unfortunate what happened to Omar. But again, we don’t control everything. We try, we discuss, we see. Maybe it’s good to just chill, relax. We try to solve everything. Sometimes screaming and shouting has the opposite effect. Don’t believe me if you don’t want but we always try to find solutions. We are not the kings of the world.”

Artan’s case is especially striking because he was not a fringe figure trying to get into the tournament at the last minute. He had been selected as part of FIFA’s official refereeing group after a long review process, and his involvement would have been historic for Somalia.

The problem began when he landed in Miami after travelling from Istanbul. Instead of joining the other officials preparing for the tournament, Artan was questioned for hours by border officials and eventually told he could not enter the country. He later said he had his visa, FIFA paperwork, and proof of his refereeing career with him, but still felt his nationality played a role in the decision.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has not publicly given a detailed explanation beyond saying there were “vetting concerns.” Andrew Giuliani, who is involved with the White House’s World Cup Task Force, defended the decision and said officials wanted to make sure the wrong people were not allowed into the country.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw Amber Searls-Imagn Images© Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Artan, for his part, has tried to stay composed. He thanked FIFA and the Confederation of African Football for their support and said he is focused on continuing his refereeing career.

The incident has also brought criticism from anti-discrimination voices in soccer. Piara Power of the FARE network argued that FIFA needs to push back harder, saying the World Cup is supposed to be a global celebration, not an event where people connected to the tournament are left stuck at airports or blocked from entering host countries.