Somali FIFA World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan arrives home in Mogadishu after being denied entry to the United States. Multiple outlets report he is received at the airport by large numbers of supporters and Somali officials in a widely circulated homecoming video. The reports say he had been held at the US border for several hours before being refused entry. Coverage links the refusal to recent US travel restrictions implemented under Donald Trump’s administration, with Somalia described as among the affected countries. Some reports include criticism from US officials alleging security-related concerns, though the specific claims are not consistently detailed across the outlets. After returning, Artan is described as being praised as a prominent referee in Somalia and as pledging that he will seek to officiate in future tournaments, including attending the next World Cup. The New York Times also notes he is widely admired in Somalia and that, if allowed, he would have been the first Somali to referee a World Cup match.
Somali referee Omar Artan returns to Mogadishu after US entry denial ahead of World Cup
Somali FIFA World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan arrives home in Mogadishu after being denied entry to the United States. Multiple outlets report he is received at the airport by large numbers of s...
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali FIFA World Cup referee, is denied entry to the United States.
- After being refused entry, he returns to Mogadishu, where he is welcomed by supporters and government officials.
- Some reporting says he is held by US border authorities for several hours before the decision.
- Several outlets link the denial to US travel restrictions affecting Somalia under Donald Trump’s administration.
- Artan states he intends to officiate in future World Cup events, including attending the next one.
A World Cup dream denied — Somali referee Omar Artan receives a hero's welcome at home after being blocked from entering the United States and taking part in the World Cup.
2 months agoSomali referee Omar Artan was welcomed by hundreds of supporters in Mogadishu after being denied entry to the United States and removed from the 2026 World Cup officials list. Artan vowed to return for the next tournament.
2 months agoSomalia is not competing at the World Cup, but from the scenes at Mogadishu’s airport Wednesday, you’d think the country had won the trophy.
2 months agoA leading soccer referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup tournament was warmly received by a crowd of supporters and officials on Wednesday as he arrived home.
2 months agoArtan was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement, without giving details of the concerns.
2 months agoAfter being denied entry to the US, Somali referee Omar Artan was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Somalia.Large numbers of supporters and Somali government officials received him enthusiastically at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu.
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