Africa’s referee of the year Omar Artan has touched down in Mogadishu after being denied entry to the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The 34-year-old was set to become the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup finals before being turned away at Miami International Airport on Monday.
Artan held a diplomatic passport and a valid single entry US visa but was still denied entry, with no official reason provided by US immigration authorities.
Somalia is among the countries subject to a travel ban introduced by President Donald Trump, which placed a full entry ban under any visa category on 12 nations in June 2025.
Artan landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday, where he was greeted by government officials, Somali Football Federation representatives, fellow referees, and local residents.
Hundreds of people gathered at the airport, with some carrying banners, others wearing specially made hats bearing the referee’s image, and social media celebrities livestreaming the occasion.
“I’d like to thank the officials, ministers, MPs and everyone. I want to thank my country and people for their support,” Artan said, in a translation provided by the BBC.
Artan made a bold promise to those who came to greet him, stating: “I promise you that I’ll be officiating you in the next World Cup. Somalia, everywhere, I’m letting you know.”
He also addressed Somalia’s youth directly, urging them not to lose faith, saying: “The youth shouldn’t be demoralised about their country. Despite this happening to me, I’ll still stand for my nation.”
Artan had previously told the New York Times that he endured an 11-hour immigration interview before being detained for several hours and then placed on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, commented on the situation, saying: “While I can’t go into the derog on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”
It was not possible for Artan to remain outside the United States and still referee matches played in Canada or Mexico, as all on-pitch officials were required to be based in Florida.
Artan was one of 52 referees selected for the tournament and had been named the Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the year in 2025.
Trump had previously made widely reported comments about Somalia ahead of a planned immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, stating: “With Somalia, which is barely a country, you know, they have no anything.”
Artan closed his remarks at the airport by calling on his compatriots to stand proud, declaring: “Let’s all defend Somalia’s honour. We all belong to Somalia whether it’s bad or good. That flag is ours and so is the passport — let’s defend it.”
