Ian Wright has posted a passionate video on social media after Somalian referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States for the 2026 World Cup.

Artan, considered one of the best African officials in world football, was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals.

However, the 34-year-old was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and will now not officiate at this summer’s tournament.

FIFA said in a statement: “Fifa can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.

“Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.

“In line with previous Fifa events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

Ian Wright Reacts to Omar Artan being Denied Entry

Arsenal legend Wright has taken to social media to express his frustration after seeing the story. In a video posted on TikTok, he 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!”

Omar Artan Speaks Out After Being Denied Entry to the US

Artan has released a statement after his dream of officiating at a World Cup was taken away. He said:

“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”

Artan was one of eight referees to be selected by CAF to officiate in the competition. It is currently unclear who will replace him.

The Octagon girl outfits for the UFC Freedom 250 event have been revealed to much online criticism.

The UFC Freedom 250 card is set to be part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States’ Independence and will take place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington DC.

As preparations are well underway for Sunday’s card, the reveal of the outfits has faced much criticism online.

One critic of the outfits said: “Perfectly tacky and on brand.”

Another noted: “I couldn’t care less about the Octagon girls, but these outfits are so stupid.”

However, the clothing received some plaudits online, with one UFC fan saying: “UFC went full patriotic mode and the Octagon girls delivered perfectly. Most iconic fight week setup ever.”

While the UFC Octagon girl outfits have faced jeers online, the whole event has been embroiled in controversy as a lawsuit has been filed to label it “unlawful” in an attempt to stop it from going ahead.

Lawsuit Filed About UFC White House Event

The lawsuit was filed by the Public Integrity Project, a self-described anti-corruption law firm based in Washington and is led by former democrat senator Russ Feingold.

The group is arguing that Trump and the UFC believe they do not need to apply for a permit to use the National Mall as a part of the event, conduct an environmental review, or receive approval to build the stage on the South Lawn, because the event is a part of the anniversary celebrations.

If the event does go ahead as planned and expected, the card is set to have some blockbuster clashes, with the UFC claiming the fight night is “the most impressive collection of fights put together by the promotion since UFC 300, with every match-up carrying divisional significance.”

UFC Freedom 250

The UFC Freedom 250 card features Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje topping the bill for the undisputed lightweight title. The former moved up to the lightweight division last year and knocked out Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt. He is not just putting his title on the line, either, but also his 17-0 undefeated record.

Elsewhere, Alex Pereira will be looking to make history by winning the interim heavyweight title and become the first person to win UFC gold in three weight divisions. He will be taking on a tough challenge in Ciryl Gane for the title, who has been a staple in the heavyweight division since 2021, with infamous clashes with Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones, and Tom Aspinall.

One F1 driver has been accused of ‘throwing in the towel’ on his season following a very underwhelming Monaco GP performance.

The streets of Monte Carlo delivered a dramatic race which saw Kimi Antonelli clinch his fifth consecutive victory of the 2026 season at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Italian’s impressive displays and string of victories see him sitting pretty with a healthy 66-point lead over Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in second place.

F1 Driver’s Mentality Called Into Question

However, one driver who has not been performing to his full potential has been accused of ‘throwing in the towel’ following his comments after the race.

George Russell headed into the 2026 Formula 1 season as the favourite to win the Drivers’ Championship and proved his title-winning credentials by claiming victory at the season opener in Melbourne, Australia.

Russell has not been able to kick on from his opening victory and his fellow Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli, has won five races in a row since then, sitting top of the standings, whilst the 28-year-old is slumped down in third place – 68 points adrift of his teammate.

His poor performances continued in Monaco as he received a drive-through penalty and finished outside the points in 13th place, failing to close the gap on Antonelli.

Speaking after the Canada Grand Prix, Russell stated that the title is now Antonelli’s ‘to lose’, a statement which did not go down well with ex-F1 driver Christian Fittipaldi.

The Brazilian, who drove for Minardi and Footwork Arrows during his F1 career, stated that Russell’s comments “weren’t right” and made him sound like he was ‘throwing in the towel’.

Speaking on the Pelas Pistas podcast, Fittipaldi said: “I personally think he’s throwing in the towel.

“There were several moments during the weekend where I thought, oh, I think he’s going to give that kid a piece of his mind.

Russell’s comments have sparked questions about the Brit’s ambition and belief in himself with 16 races and plenty of points still up for grabs.

He has admitted he is in a ‘very weird state of mind’ following a run of bad luck and performances which are sure to have knocked his confidence.

“I still very much believe in myself and that we’re going to be fighting for race wins until the end of the year, but right now, it is tough.”

Russell’s current performance so far this season has been so underwhelming that it could even see his Mercedes contract rendered void. Unless he can turn a corner, the 2026 campaign could be a long one for the Brit.