There’s a visa, but no entry permit. The United States has not allowed the best referee from Africa …

There is a visa, but no entry permit. The United States has refused to allow the best referee in Africa to participate in the World Cup.

Omran Atan, a top referee from Somalia, was unable to work at the World Cup after being denied entry by American border guards, despite having a valid visa. The referee arrived in Miami via Istanbul. After further checks, he was informed that there were “problems identified during the screening process.” The specific reasons for the refusal by the US authorities were not made public.

FIFA quickly confirmed that they would not challenge the decision of the US authorities. Instead, they will replace Atan as a referee for the tournament. For organizers, this is a standard procedure: a country’s sovereign right to control its borders takes precedence over any sporting accreditations.

For African football, this incident represents a significant loss. Last year, Atan was recognized as the best referee in Africa by the CAF. This season, he has been responsible for officiating matches in the African Champions League and qualifying matches for the World Cup. His removal from the job disrupts the geographical balance of the referees and deprives the tournament of one of the most promising referees in the world.

This incident highlights the strict immigration policies in the US, where having a visa does not guarantee access to the country. Border services have the right to deny entry for security or administrative reasons, and these reasons are often not explained publicly. For international federations, such incidents create additional risks. Even those who are officially accredited cannot be guaranteed from being restricted suddenly.

FIFA has already started looking for a replacement for Atan. However, the issue of transparency in border procedures remains unresolved. It is expected that FIFA will engage in dialogue with the authorities of the host countries to minimize such incidents in future tournaments. For now, the World Cup begins without a referee whose career was at its peak.