MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somali referee Omar Artan returned home to a hero’s welcome on Wednesday after being denied entry to the United States, a decision that led FIFA to remove him from its roster of officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and ended his opportunity to become the first Somali referee ever to officiate a match at football’s biggest tournament.
Wararka Soomaaliya
Supporters, government officials and members of Somalia’s football community gathered in Mogadishu to welcome Artan back to the country, hailing him as a national symbol of achievement despite the setback that cut short his historic World Cup assignment.
Artan, the 2025 African Referee of the Year, had been selected by FIFA as part of the roster of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a milestone widely celebrated across Somalia and among football fans who viewed the appointment as a landmark moment for the country’s growing presence in international sport.
Upon arriving at Miami International Airport on Monday, however, Artan was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and denied entry into the United States despite holding a valid U.S. visa and official FIFA documentation.
Faahfaahinta
According to Artan, he was subjected to an 11-hour interrogation during which officials questioned him about Somali politics and the militant group Al-Shabaab. He said he was subsequently placed in a holding facility before being returned to Istanbul, Turkey, from where he had traveled before arriving in Miami.
Speaking shortly after landing in Mogadishu, with Somalia’s defense minister and other officials standing alongside him, Artan said the experience would not diminish his love for Somalia or his pride in carrying a Somali passport.
He also expressed hope that FIFA would again select him for a future World Cup and said he remained determined to continue raising Somalia’s profile on the global football stage.
Saamaynta
Artan is regarded as one of Africa’s leading football referees and has become one of Somalia’s most internationally recognized sporting figures. His selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was viewed by many Somalis as a historic breakthrough for the country and a source of national pride.
CBP said Artan was deemed “inadmissible” due to unspecified “vetting concerns,” describing the process as part of routine inspections conducted to determine eligibility for entry into the United States. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later suggested the decision was linked to an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”
Following the denial of entry, FIFA confirmed that Artan had been removed from the roster of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending his opportunity to become the first Somali referee ever to officiate a match at the tournament.
Wararka.so waxay kuu soo tebineysaa wararka ugu dambeeyey ee Soomaaliya iyo caalamka. Si aad ula socoto wararkii ugu dambeeyey, booqo boggayaga.
