Get Guardian on GoogleFormer President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Sepp Blatter, has warned the world’s football governing body not to compromise the universality of the sport.
Blatter issued this warning on Saturday via a post he shared on his official X account, arguing that the host countries of 2026 World Cup, USA, Canada and Mexico must ensure safety and unrestricted entry for all qualified officials.
He also cited the USA’s denial of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan as a violation of football’s universality.
Artan, the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s 2025 top referee and the first Somali selected for a World Cup, was turned away at the Miami Airport having despite valid documents and FIFA credentials over unspecified US vetting and security concerns, leading to his removal from the tournament.
“A FIFA World Cup host country must guarantee two fundamental principles: the safety of the country — and the unrestricted entry of all qualified teams, officials and referees,” Blatter said.
“The case of referee Omar Artan from Somalia is against one of these obligations. FIFA must never compromise the universality of football.”
The case has fueled discussions on balancing national security with FIFA’s principles, with Artan receiving a hero’s welcome in Somalia and later appointed for UEFA’s Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.
