FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described the controversial situation surrounding Somali referee Omar Artan non-involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as “unfortunate”.
He said this in his address to the press ahead of the opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, June 11 between Mexico and South Africa.
Artan was one of seven African referees selected to officiate games in this year’s World Cup but his entry into the United States of America got denied twice despite having a visa to do so.
The reason behind his denied entry into the US was tied to links with a terrorist group in Somalia by the Donald Trump administration. FIFA announced that the host nation holds the right to deny entry into their country and the organisation hands were tied which was highlighted by Infantino.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia. Again, we don’t control everything.”
“We try, we will discuss, we will speak, we will see. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.”
“Believe me when I tell you, we always try to find solutions. We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organization” the FIFA President said.
