Arsenal legend Ian Wright has hit out at FIFA and the United States after referee Omar Artan from Somalia was denied a visa and blocked from working at the FIFA World Cup. He questioned the spirit of the game and added that he was embarrassed for the American fans.
Speaking on his TikTok channel after the news broke out, Wright called for FIFA to step in and take action as officials were the latest to be denied entry. Reports of players, fans, and journalists being stopped from entering the United States have already made the rounds.
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The Arsenal legend was not happy with the way the United States were going about things and said:
“Every few hours, it’s another story. Another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied now refs? I’m laughing but it’s not funny. It’s actually not funny, something has to be said. Expensive tickets, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof. Is this how the hosts behave for the greatest game, greatest tournament in the world? How are we not hearing more?”
“Is this the spirit of football? Really? You know who I feel for – I feel for the American fans who are desperate for this. How embarrassed they must be. How embarrassing for them this must be. This is a World Cup of chaos. Whoever wins this World Cup will have to go through some serious chaos to get it done. I hope we [England] can do it, but something has to be said. This is the World Cup!” (via GiveMeSport)
Omar Artan has released a statement following his visa issue, saying that he remains positive despite the events.
“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career. 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.”
Artan was set to make history as the first Somali to officiate a match at the FIFA World Cup. He was one of the best officials to emerge from Africa and was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025.
What have FIFA said about the United States stopping Omar Artan from officiating at the FIFA World Cup?
FIFA released a statement soon after the news broke, confirming that Omar Artan would not be granted entry into the United States. They said the visa and immigration process was beyond their control, and they had to respect the decision.
The statement added that the United States will not change Artan’s status, and therefore, he will not have the chance to create history at the FIFA World Cup.
All officials, 52 referees and 88 assistant referees, involved in the FIFA World Cup were to train in Miami during the tournament. The visa issue, therefore, blocks him from working at matches played in Canada and Mexico as well.
Edited by Sripad
