Somali people gave a hero’s welcome to Omar Artan, the referee who was barred from entering the United States, days ahead of the start of the FIFA World Cup, where he was set to create history as the first
referee from Somalia to officiate at the marquee tournament.
Hundreds of supporters, senior football officials and government representatives gathered at the airport to welcome Artan home. Waving banners and chanting his name, the crowd turned what could have been a sombre return into a powerful celebration of a national hero and a symbol of unity.
Artan, who was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025, has been removed from FIFA’s list of officials after being denied entry to the United States upon arriving in Miami on June 6.
“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,” Artan said while speaking to the media.
Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home. “They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.
Watch the video here:
🚨| ???????????????????????????????? : ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? has arrived in Mogadishu to an extraordinary welcome, Crowds gathered in the capital to honor the award-winning referee best Referee, who remains a symbol of pride and inspiration for Somalia.
Omar Artan… pic.twitter.com/ybDjfevRjS
— Abdikarin Dahir (@Abdikarindahirr) June 10, 2026
Somalia is one of multiple nations on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
The United States has suspended visa processing and immigration applications for Somali nationals, citing national security concerns, the presence of active terrorist groups in the region and the Somali government’s limited ability to vet travellers or issue secure identification documents.
