Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan received a hero’s welcome upon landing at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu. He returned home after being blocked from entering the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite the setback, the 34-year-old official remained remarkably resilient, assuring his supporters that he will fulfill his dream at the next global tournament.
“I will be at the next World Cup in 2030,” Artan promised, looking forward to the tournament scheduled to take place across Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. “Despite what happened to me, I am not discouraged. We defend our country, Somalia, and this flag through good times and bad.”
Artan, who was named Africa’s Referee of the Year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was poised to make history as the first-ever Somali official to referee at a men’s FIFA World Cup finals.
However, his journey was cut short upon arriving at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul. Despite possessing a valid tournament visa, official FIFA accreditation, and a diplomatic passport, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) flagged Artan during secondary screening. Following an intensive 11-hour interrogation regarding Somali politics and local militant organizations, federal authorities deemed him inadmissible.
Read more about this topic: Referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan denied entry to the US and ruled out of World Cup 2026
A US administration official later confirmed to the press that the refusal was based on vetting concerns regarding alleged “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” Artan was subsequently placed on a return flight to Turkey.
Following the incident, FIFA formally removed Artan from the tournament’s match official list. The governing body clarified its position, stating that while it regrets the situation, it will not interfere with domestic immigration enforcement:
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FIFA Statement: “FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications… a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
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Gianni Infantino (FIFA President): “It’s unfortunate what happened to Omar. But again, we don’t control everything. We try, we discuss, we see… Sometimes screaming and shouting has the opposite effect.”
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The Somali government called the exclusion “deeply regrettable,” noting that Artan has always conducted himself with the utmost professionalism. The Ministry of Youth and Sports, alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced they are pursuing diplomatic channels with US authorities and FIFA to obtain a formal explanation.
The incident has drawn significant international criticism from global human rights advocates and political figures who argue that turning away a fully vetted, top-tier international official contradicts the unifying spirit of global sport.
