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Omar Artan, the first Somali referee who was supposed to participate in the 2026 World Cup, has been banned from entering the United States. The Confederation of African Football selected him as the best referee for 2025, but he faced a ban upon arriving at Miami International Airport. Somalia is on the U.S. travel ban list, which led to his exclusion. FIFA confirmed that he will not be able to participate in the tournament, noting that the host government determines who receives visas. Nevertheless, Artan remains optimistic and expresses his gratitude for the support from CAF and FIFA, focusing on his future in refereeing.
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