CAF chief backs ‘best referee in Africa’ after US visa denial for 2026 World Cup

African football’s top official has condemned the US decision to deny a visa to Somali referee Omar Artan, ruling him out of officiating at the 2026 World Cup, and has vowed to stand firmly by him.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the Confederation of African Football would continue to support Artan, who he described as “the best referee in Africa”, despite the setback that has cost him a place at the sport’s biggest tournament.

“Omar Artan est le meilleur arbitre d’Afrique et nous continuerons a le soutenir malgre la decision des Etats-Unis de lui refuser l’entree sur le territoire pour la Coupe du monde”, a declare le patron de la CAF.

The refusal by US authorities to issue Artan with an entry visa means one of the continent’s leading officials will be absent from the World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Leading African referee sidelined

Artan, widely regarded as one of the strongest match officials in Africa, had been considered a candidate to represent the continent at the 2026 tournament.

His exclusion is not linked to performance or fitness, but solely to the visa decision – a highly unusual situation at World Cup level, where officials are usually selected and confirmed months in advance through FIFA’s rigorous assessment process.

“Considere comme l’un des meilleurs officiels du continent, Omar Artan n’a finalement pas pu participer au Mondial 2026”, souligne la CAF, qui rappelle le statut de l’arbitre somalien au sein de l’elite africaine.

The case leaves African football without one of its most respected referees on the game’s biggest stage, at a time when the continent has been pushing for stronger representation in all areas of the tournament, from teams to technical officials.

Motsepe pledges long-term support

Motsepe moved quickly to underline that Artan’s standing within African football remains unchanged and that his career at international level would continue to be nurtured.

“Malgre cette absence, Patrice Motsepe a tenu a reaffirmer la confiance de la CAF envers l’arbitre somalien et son engagement a l’accompagner dans la suite de sa carriere”, a indique l’instance dirigeante du football africain.

CAF is expected to keep Artan at the forefront of major continental competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations and top-tier club tournaments, to ensure he remains among the elite group of officials available for future FIFA events.

The episode also highlights broader questions around access and mobility for African officials and players in major global tournaments, particularly when events are staged in countries with stringent entry requirements.

While there has been no immediate public response from US authorities or FIFA on the specific reasons behind the visa refusal, Motsepe’s comments make clear that African football’s leadership views the situation as a political and administrative obstacle rather than a sporting one.

For now, Artan will miss out on the World Cup – but, with CAF’s backing, he is expected to continue officiating at the highest level within Africa and remain in contention for future global competitions.