The Somalian referee acclaimed as the ‘best in Africa’ – who was kicked out of the US ahead of the World Cup – was given a hero’s welcome in his homeland.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, was dropped from FIFA’s list for the tournament after the American authorities refused him permission to enter the country at Miami International Airport.
The Trump administration claimed he was turned away due to ‘terrorism fears’ in a shocking turn of events that has caused a major outcry and support for the referee who expressed his bitter disappointment at the rejection.
He said the decision had shattered his ‘biggest dream’ of officiating at a World Cup.
Artan was put on a flight to Turkey and then back home to Somalia where he was greeted with plenty of fanfare.
He was filmed stepping off the plane and being mobbed by well-wishers and dignitaries, shaking hands and smiling broadly.
World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was given a hero’s welcome back in Somalia
The referee then posed for photos while holding up the Somalian flag in a show of national pride and defiance.
His exclusion from the World Cup has been a major talking point ahead of the tournament kicking off on Thursday.
Speaking to the New York Times, Artan insisted he was ‘very disappointed’ in the decision, adding: ‘I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa.’
However, the Trump administration made a bombshell claim that the referee was denied entry due to terrorism fears.
In a statement provided to FOX, a Trump official said: ‘This individual was seeking admission to the United States.
‘Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
‘The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA.
‘President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country – full stop.’
Previously, US Customs and Border Protection had said in a statement: ‘The traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of C.B.P.’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility.
Somalis hold pictures of Artan, who had been expected to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was refused entry to the United States, during a match in Somalia on Tuesday
‘Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.’
FIFA initially confirmed last week that Artan’s visa situation had been ‘fully resolved and he will now be available to officiate at the FIFA World Cup’.
But on Monday night the governing body released a statement, reading: ‘FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.
‘FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.’
‘In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.’
Meanwhile, when discussing the matter with the New York Times, Artan said: ‘I am very, very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.’
The Somali official also claimed that he also showed documentation from FIFA and photographs of his career as a professional referee to border officials.
They also checked online material about his career, said Artan – who was named referee of the year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football.
The official claims his immigration interview ended after 11 hours, before he was taken to a separate holding cell. He was detained there for several more hours before being put on a flight back to Istanbul, despite officials not giving him a reason for denying him entry to the US.
Somalia features on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list and last month he said of Somali immigrants in America: ‘They’re all crooks.’
The Trump administration has claimed that Artan was denied entry into the US due to alleged terrorism fears. President Trump pictured with the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, last July
In January he called the nation ‘the worst country in the world’.
The United States has refused to issue visas to some members of Iran’s staff for the World Cup.
Iran players landed in Mexico at the weekend and the entire squad were pictured disembarking from their plane with pins on their clothing bearing the number 168, a reference to the number of people killed by what was believed to be a US missile in February.
Last week Iraqi World Cup star Aymen Hussein was held and questioned for almost seven hours after arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
He was eventually allowed to enter, along with the rest of the Iraq squad, but the team’s photographer was barred from entering the country.
