FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the U.S. denial of entry for Somali referee Omar Artan was unfortunate and urged critics to "chill, relax."
The incident highlights the tension between international sporting governance and national security protocols, as a designated official was unable to perform his duties at the 2026 World Cup due to immigration restrictions.
Artan was denied entry at Miami International Airport after arriving from Istanbul on a Saturday earlier this month [1]. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials barred the Somali national from entering the country, a decision that prevented him from officiating in the tournament [1], [2].
Speaking at a press conference in Mexico on the eve of the tournament, Infantino addressed the situation during a session that lasted 66 minutes [3]. He said that FIFA worked behind the scenes to resolve the issue but cannot control the immigration decisions of sovereign nations [2].
"It is unfortunate as well what happened to Omar (Abdulkadir Artan) ... Maybe sometimes it's good as well to just, you know, chill, relax," Infantino said [4].
While the official was barred from the event, he returned to Mogadishu, Somalia, where he was greeted with a hero's welcome [5]. The situation has drawn criticism from those arguing that FIFA should have more leverage to ensure officials from all member nations can access host cities.
Infantino said that the organization did its part to facilitate the process. He said that the responsibility for entry lies solely with the host country's border authorities [2].
“"Maybe sometimes it's good as well to just, you know, chill, relax."”
This event underscores the legal limitations of FIFA's authority when tournament logistics clash with national security laws. Despite the global nature of the World Cup, the host nation's visa and entry requirements remain absolute, creating a precedent where officials from specific nations may be excluded regardless of their professional standing or the governing body's support.
