Somali Referee Given Hero’s Welcome After World Cup Visa Controversy

(Omar Artan. Photo by BBC)

Somali referee Omar Artan returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu after being denied entry into the United States for the World Cup, vowing to participate in the next tournament in 2030.

More than 100 supporters lined up outside the VIP section of Mogadishu’s main airport, waving national flags as Artan disembarked from a Turkish Airlines flight to cheers.

“I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” he told journalists.

Artan, who was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2025, was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.

A US State Department official stated that he was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations,” making him ineligible for admission.

FIFA confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup, which is set to kick off on Thursday across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

His denial of entry sparked widespread outrage in Somalia. “They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” said Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, who was present at the airport to receive him.

Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the tournament had been a major source of national pride, with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud describing him in April as “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis.”