🎥 Incredible: ref barred from the US welcomed as hero in Somalia | OneFootball

Referee Omar Artan, who would have been the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, was welcomed as a hero in Mogadishu this Wednesday (10) after being denied entry to the United States. The images are striking:

Chosen as Africa’s best referee of 2025, Artan was stopped at Miami airport, questioned for 11 hours, and deported, despite holding a U.S. visa and a diplomatic passport.

The refusal is tied to the travel ban imposed by Donald Trump’s government on 12 countries, including Somalia. 

As all referees in the tournament must undergo training in Florida, FIFA confirmed Artan’s definitive exclusion from the 2026 World Cup, making his participation impossible even in matches hosted in Mexico and Canada.

Despite the frustration, the referee celebrated the warm reception and thanked FIFA, the government, and the public for their support. In his speech, he made a promise and an appeal: he said he will officiate at the 2030 World Cup and asked Somalia’s youth not to lose hope, encouraging them to keep defending the country’s honor and flag.

Artan was also received by Somalia’s president, Hassan Mohamud

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 HASSAN ALI ELMI - AFP or licensors