(Adnkronos) – He was welcomed as a hero upon his return to Somalia, referee Omar Artan, excluded from the World Cup due to the refusal by US authorities to allow him entry into the country. Artan, currently considered the best African referee, was supposed to become the first Somali to officiate matches in a World Cup.
Upon his arrival at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu, al-Jazeera reports, Artan was greeted by government representatives and dozens of supporters. “Somalia belongs to all of us. In easy times and in difficult times, I want to tell young people not to lose hope in our country,” he declared before the crowd.
Born in Mogadishu, Artan has over the years become a symbol of redemption for Somali football. After his debut at the 2023 Africa Cup and his nomination as African Referee of the Year in 2025, his selection for the World Cup had been celebrated in Somalia as a historic achievement for a country that had long remained on the sidelines of major international competitions.
After departing for Miami to participate in the gathering of referees selected by FIFA, he was stopped upon arrival in the United States and sent back to Turkey, despite holding a valid visa. According to American authorities, the decision was reportedly made due to unspecified “security screening concerns.”
The case sparked strong indignation in Somalia, where the Ministry of Sport expressed “deep sadness” over the decision, revealing that it had made intense diplomatic efforts with Washington without success. FIFA maintained that the matter falls exclusively within the purview of US immigration authorities, while – according to al-Jazeera – Somali officials believe that the international federation also bears some responsibility in the matter.
The precise reasons for the denial of entry into the United States have not been disclosed. An American official reported that a Somali citizen was rejected due to alleged connections with individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist organizations, without officially confirming that it was Artan.
