Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been scheduled to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to the United States, was greeted upon arrival at Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia on June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar Somalia's World Cup referee, who was prevented from entering the United States, arrived this Wednesday (10) in the capital Mogadishu, where he was welcomed by a crowd of supporters and authorities. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Omar Artan was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup after being included in FIFA's final list for the tournament. He is considered one of Africa's top referees and was named the continent's best male referee in 2025. On Saturday (6), he was stopped at Miami International Airport due to “verification issues”, according to the US Customs and Border Protection Service, without detailing what these concerns were. FIFA then removed him from the tournament's list of referees. According to the Somali Embassy in Kenya, which processed the visa, Artan had received authorization to travel to the US the previous week. He returned to Mogadishu to a hero's welcome at the airport, where he thanked the government and people of Somalia, as well as FIFA, for their support. “I promise you, God willing, that I will be present at the next edition,” he said, as hundreds of supporters waved Somali flags. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and maintain confidence.” The unusual decision by the United States to deny entry to a FIFA-appointed referee to serve in a World Cup host country sparked global outrage and raised doubts among some fans about the United States' ability to host the competition. The reasons for this expulsion are not yet known, as Artan had a valid visa, said Ciise Aden Abshir, advisor to the Somali Ministry of Youth and Sports. Somalia is among nearly 40 countries subject to new travel restrictions imposed under the Trump administration's immigration policy. In Donald Trump's sights, Somalia is one of several countries whose citizens are subject to a travel ban on the United States, imposed by the Trump administration. In late November, the American president described the country as "rotten" and declared his intention to end the special status that protects Somali citizens from deportation. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been scheduled to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to the United States, was greeted upon arrival at Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia on June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar People gather to welcome Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been scheduled to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but was denied entry into the United States, upon arrival at Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar. READ ALSO: Trump restricts entry into the US of citizens from 19 countries Trump expands restrictions on entry into the USA and includes 7 more countries on the travel ban list From the field to politics: understand the discomfort between James Rodríguez and Petro on the eve of the World Cup Removed from FIFA framework Somali referee Omar Artan has been removed from the World Cup referee panel after he was barred from entering the United States, the International Football Federation (FIFA) said on Monday (8). "FIFA can confirm that referee official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will not be able to train or play at the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States. FIFA is not involved in host countries' immigration processes, including visa grants, and has been informed by authorities that Mr. Artan will not be changed at this time”, stated the federation. A member of FIFA since 2018, Artan plays in the Somali league and was elected Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2025. Artan "is one of the most respected referees in Africa and (...) denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from working (...) harms not only him personally, but also undermines football's commitment to equity, merit and the spirit of fair play", lamented Abshir. "The football community must support him at this difficult time," added the advisor, who is a former captain of the Somali national team. Omar Artan would be the first Somali referee to referee World Cup games. At 34, he was among 52 referees selected to work at this year's edition of the tournament, jointly organized by Canada, Mexico and the United States. The Trump administration had not publicly commented on the case until the last update of this report. Somali referee scheduled for World Cup is denied entry to the US by the Trump administration