How Somali Referee World Cup Absence Reflects Wider Global Power Struggles
Key takeaways
- Sports Money How Somali Referee World Cup Absence Reflects Wider Global Power Struggles By Simon Chadwick ,
- U.S. government officials say that they received derogatory information about Artan, which included suspected associations with the militant group Al Shabab.
- Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by the referee’s exclusion from the U.S.;
Sports Money How Somali Referee World Cup Absence Reflects Wider Global Power Struggles By Simon Chadwick ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Professor of Afro Eurasian Sport, geopolitical of sport specialist.Follow Author Jun 11, 2026, 02:08pm EDTJun 11, 2026, 02:09pm EDTWASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)Getty ImagesJust days before the World Cup is due to start, Somali referee Omar Artan — voted best referee in Africa for 2025 —can’t enter the United States.
U.S. government officials say that they received derogatory information about Artan, which included suspected associations with the militant group Al Shabab.