The British Football Association has demanded an urgent review of visa policies after a Somali referee was denied entry to the United States, casting a shadow over the sport's global unity. Abdiqani Hassan, 34, a rising official in international football, was turned away at London Heathrow this week en route to a training camp in Atlanta, despite holding a valid invitation from FIFA.
The FA’s intervention comes just months before the Women’s World Cup, where Hassan was provisionally selected to officiate. In a statement, the FA said: “Football must be a game without borders. This decision undermines the spirit of fair play and the efforts of officials from all backgrounds to develop the sport.”
Hassan, who fled civil war in Somalia as a child and now lives in Leicester, had been granted a US visa previously but was refused re-entry without explanation. “I felt like my past was being held against me,” he told the Guardian. “I have worked so hard to represent my country and my sport. This feels like a step backward.”
The incident has reignited debates about the Trump-era travel restrictions, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations. While the Biden administration has eased some measures, Somali nationals still face intense scrutiny. The FA has called on the UK government to raise the matter diplomatically, warning that the World Cup’s integrity depends on equal treatment for all participants.
Former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: “We cannot have a World Cup where some referees are treated as second-class citizens. Football is for everyone.”
The US State Department declined to comment on individual cases but reiterated that visa decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. For Hassan, the setback is personal. “I want to be a role model for young Somalis everywhere. This doesn’t stop me, but it hurts,” he said.
The FA has pledged to work with FIFA to ensure all match officials receive fair access, and will lobby the UK government to press the US for clearer visa processes. As the World Cup approaches, the sport faces a test of its own values: whether the beautiful game can truly be for all.
