Somalian referee Omar Artan received an emotional welcome on Wednesday after returning to Mogadishu, days after being denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.Artan had been on course to make history as the first referee from Somalia to oversee matches at a World Cup. The highly regarded official was included on FIFA’s final list of referees for the tournament and is widely considered one of Africa’s leading match officials. His standing in the game was further underlined when he was named Africa’s best male referee in 2025.However, his World Cup dream was abruptly halted when he was refused entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport on Saturday. In a statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the decision was taken due to “vetting concerns”, though no further details were provided. Following the development, FIFA removed Artan from its list of referees for the competition.The decision came despite Artan having received a valid visa to travel to the United States. According to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, which processed the application, the visa had been issued only last week.Back in Somalia, Artan was greeted by government officials, supporters and well-wishers at Mogadishu airport. Hundreds gathered to welcome the referee home, waving Somali flags and showing support after the disappointing turn of events.Addressing the crowd, Artan thanked the Somali government, the people of Somalia and FIFA for standing by him during the ordeal.“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved the Somali flag. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”The decision to deny entry to a FIFA-appointed World Cup referee attracted significant international attention. The unusual move triggered criticism in several quarters and prompted questions among some supporters about the United States’ ability to host a global sporting event of such scale.The incident also unfolded against the backdrop of stricter U.S. immigration policies. Somalia is among nearly 40 nations currently affected by new travel restrictions introduced under the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown.
