WORLD CUP REFEREE SHARES HEARTBREAKING UPDATE AFTER 11-HOUR DETENTION đŸ˜± — “This could be the dream of my life destroyed
” The official opens up on what happened when entry to the US was denied, leaving fans shocked and desperate for answers.

THE World Cup ref booted out of the tournament by US immigration authorities says the “dream of my life” has been destroyed.

Somalia’s Omar Artan, rated the leading whistler in African football, flew to Miami to join the other 52 World Cup referees on Saturday.

Equatorial Guinea v Guinea - TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations
Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the USCredit: Getty
WCup-Ref Denied Entry Soccer
Artan will now go back to Mogadishu, the capital of SomaliaCredit: AP

But Artan, 34, was prevented from entering the United States by border officials and instead held in a room at the airport for 11 hours before being flown back to Istanbul, where he had arrived from.

Artan told the New York Times: “I am very, very disappointed,

“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa.

“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”

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Artan, who plans to return to his home in Mogadishu on Wednesday, added that US officials gave no reason for his entry ban.

He added: “I think that they have a problem with my country.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesman confirmed that Artan was “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry”.

Fifa insisted there was nothing the world body could do, while the possibility of Artan officiating only in games played in Mexico and Canada was ruled out because of the Miami training base for all refs.They are:

  • Outfield players cannot go to technical areas while goalkeeper getting treatment
  • Five-second countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins
  • Ten-second substitutions – or else one-minute sub entry delay
  • One minute off field after outfield players get treatment
  • Three-minute hydration breaks in each half
  • VAR can intervene over fouls before ball in play for goals, penalties and disciplinary sanctions
  • VAR can correct wrongly-awarded yellow cards and corners
  • Red cards for covering mouth in confrontational talk
  • Red cards for walking off pitch in protest

A Fifa spokesman 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.”

Andrew Giuliani, head of the US government’s World Cup Task Force, added: “While I can’t go into the derogatory information on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”

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