Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu and vowed to take part in the next tournament in 2030.More than 100 supporters lined up outside the VIP section of Mogadishu’s main airport, waving national flags as Artan disembarked from a Turkish Airlines flight to cheers.“I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud… Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” Artan told journalists.Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home.“They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP More than 100 supporters lined up outside the VIP section of Mogadishu’s main airport, waving national flags as Artan disembarked from a Turkish Airlines flight to cheers.“I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud… Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” Artan told journalists.Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home.“They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP “I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud… Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” Artan told journalists.Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home.“They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home.“They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP “They wronged him in a way that hurts everybody that is concerned about humanity,” Mohamed Said, a Mogadishu government official, said at the airport.Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.Related NewsFIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World CupOlympic qualifier: Comoros beat Sudan 30-0, to face FalconsWorld Cup: Enyimba, Remo to benefit from FIFA’s $355m windfallA US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP A US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.AFP AFP