Iran is out of the 2026 World Cup by an American decision.

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States, where he was set to become the first referee from his country to officiate matches in the FIFA World Cup, according to a Somali sports ministry official who spoke to AFP on Monday.

The reason for the decision by Miami International Airport authorities to prevent Artan from entering the United States was not immediately clear; however, Somalia is among several countries listed on the travel ban enacted by President Donald Trump's administration.

Somalia defended its referee Omar Artan after he was barred from entering the United States, which deprived him of the opportunity to become the first Somali referee to participate in officiating World Cup matches.

The Somali sports ministry stated: “The ministry reaffirms its unwavering support for Omar Artan, as it renews its full confidence in his integrity and professionalism, and his continued contribution to the development of football within Somalia and internationally.”

Later, FIFA announced the exclusion of Artan from officiating World Cup matches as a result of his denial of entry into the United States.

A FIFA spokesperson told AFP: “FIFA can confirm that match referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to train or officiate at the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry into the United States.”

FIFA emphasized that it has no authority to influence the decision, clarifying that it is solely up to the host countries of the tournament, primarily the United States.

The spokesperson added that “FIFA” is not involved in immigration procedures in the host country, including visa determinations. He was informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan's status would not change at this time.”

He continued: “In line with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately decides who receives a visa and who is allowed entry into the country.”

For its part, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that Artan was denied entry following a routine inspection.

He explained that “during processing, the traveler underwent additional screening, which is a routine part of the inspection process at Customs and Border Protection when officers need to verify information or determine eligibility for entry.”

He added: “After the inspection, it was determined that the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was not eligible for entry due to concerns related to screening, and entry was denied.”