The decision completely blocks Artan from participating in the global tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19.

Artan, who was named the 2025 Confederation of African Football (Caf) men's referee of the year, was on track to become the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals. Following his sudden repatriation by US authorities, he is currently in Turkey.

While US immigration authorities have not issued an official reason for his removal, Somalia remains on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration.

World governing body FIFA confirmed that Artan will miss the tournament entirely following discussions with US authorities.

"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," read a statement.

"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.

"In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."

The tournament's format makes it impossible for Artan to officiate remotely.

Referees' chief Pierluigi Collina recently created a mandatory training hub in Miami for the tournament's 52 referees and 88 assistant referees. Because all on-pitch officials must stay at the Florida base for training, preparation, and security, Artan cannot stay outside the United States and only referee matches played in Canada or Mexico.

The US government has publicly backed the entry denial.

Speaking to BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said: "While I can't go into the derog [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."

In response, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) has contacted FIFA seeking urgent clarification.

A senior adviser to Somalia's ministry of youth and sports confirmed the denial of entry to the BBC, stating that Artan had been traveling with valid documents.

A Somali embassy official in Nairobi added that Artan's diplomatic passport had been issued specifically to ease his travel after earlier visa difficulties.

Artan, an official in the Somali national football league championships, originally became a FIFA referee in 2018 and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Despite the abrupt end to his World Cup dream, Artan told Reuters in a statement that he remains in a positive mood and focused on the next challenge.

"I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," he said.

"I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions."