Omar Artan, the Somali World Cup referee who was barred from entering the United States, made his arrival in Mogadishu on Wednesday, greeted by a throng of enthusiastic supporters and officials.
Artan was set to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the World Cup, having been included in FIFA’s final list for the tournament. Recognized as one of Africa’s premier referees, he was honored as the continent’s best male referee in 2025.
Upon his return, Artan voiced his discontent over the US decision to deny him entry for the World Cup, deeming the situation “suspected members of terror organisations” The Trump administration had stated that Artan was barred due to alleged connections to “What happened has happened and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support Fifa gave me,”
“Somalia is ours, whether things are good or bad. I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country. I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be. “I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” Artan expressed. He encouraged his supporters to remain united in their love for their country. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said, as hundreds of supporters waved the Somali flag at the airport. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
A FIFA representative confirmed that due to the entry denial, Artan would be unable to train or officiate during the tournament, which kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday. The Somali government expressed disappointment, noting their unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with both the US and FIFA for Artan’s entry.
While not naming Artan specifically, US Customs and Border Protection reported that a Somali individual arriving from Istanbul was deemed inadmissible at Miami International Airport due to vetting issues. An administration official revealed that Customs and Border Protection had assessed Artan as a national security threat. Despite being issued a visa for travel to the US last week, according to the Somali embassy in Kenya, he was still denied entry.
The stringent immigration policies of the Trump administration have raised concerns, particularly with the World Cup approaching, as a sweeping travel ban was implemented last year affecting citizens from twelve countries, including Somalia.
