Iyunade Grace
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan returned to Mogadishu on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, to a hero’s welcome after U.S. authorities denied him entry for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending his chance to become the first Somali official to referee at football’s biggest tournament. Hundreds of supporters, government officials, and members of the Somali Football Federation gathered at Aden Adde International Airport at 8:30 a.m. local time, waving national flags and chanting his name as he arrived from Istanbul. Supporters draped a Somali flag over his shoulders and lined up to shake his hand in scenes broadcast live across social media.
Artan, 34, was Africa’s best male referee in 2025 and had been named to FIFA’s 52-referee list for the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. He was traveling to Miami for FIFA’s mandatory pre-tournament referees’ seminar when U.S. Customs and Border Protection turned him away at Miami International Airport on Saturday, June 6, citing “vetting concerns”. The Trump administration later said he was denied entry due to alleged links to “suspected members of terror organizations,” though no public evidence was provided.
The denial triggered immediate fallout. FIFA removed Artan from the tournament’s referee list, as all officials were based in Florida for training and security, making it impossible for him to officiate matches in Canada or Mexico while outside the U.S.. Artan said he had a valid visa issued through the Somali Embassy in Kenya and was questioned for about 11 hours by U.S. authorities before being placed on a return flight. He maintained he followed all legal procedures and had no wrongdoing.
In Mogadishu, Artan thanked the Somali government, FIFA, and the public for their support. “I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he told the crowd. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident. Our journey does not end here.”. He urged Somali youth not to lose hope: “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.
Later that day, thousands packed Mogadishu Stadium for a welcome ceremony with patriotic songs and flags, where Artan was guest of honor. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre hosted him and wrote on X that Artan had “already won the hearts of millions and secured his place in history,” adding, “He devoted himself to ensuring that football was decided by merit, yet fate denied him the stage he so richly deserved”. The case drew international reaction, with figures like Jeremy Corbyn, Hillary Clinton, and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus criticizing the decision.
Artan became a FIFA referee in 2018 and made history as the first Somali to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024 before being named CAF’s Best Male Referee. While his 2026 World Cup dream is over, he vowed to return for the 2030 tournament. His supporters in Mogadishu said the decision didn’t diminish his stature, with one student noting, “For us and for many around the world he is… a champion and this decision doesn’t make a difference.
