Watch The Emotional Moment Somali World Cup Referee Returned Home To Hero’s Welcome Despite Being Denied Entry To U.S

Thousands of Somalis has packed a stadium in Mogadishu on Wednesday to celebrate the return of Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the referee who was supposed to make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup until the United States shut the door in his face.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, one of FIFA’s 52 selected World Cup referees, was denied entry into the U.S. after arriving in South Florida, with a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson saying he was “determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns.”

Artan, 34, was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup. Instead, his journey ended at Miami International Airport. He told The New York Times that border officials questioned him for 11 hours about Somali politics and the al-Shabab militant group before placing him in a holding cell and putting him on a return flight to Istanbul.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, later claimed Artan was denied entry due to alleged association with suspected members of terror organisations a charge that drew swift condemnation from football authorities and supporters worldwide.

Artan has firmly denied any such links. “I think that they have a problem with my country,” he told The New York Times, adding that he had all the correct documents and a valid visa.

Somalia is on President Donald Trump’s travel ban list, and Artan’s case has become the latest flashpoint in growing controversy over U.S. travel restrictions intersecting with the World Cup.

FIFA confirmed that Artan “will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026” and stated that host governments ultimately determine who is admitted into their country.

Despite the circumstances, Artan refused to be broken. “Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,” he said in a statement.

Watch video HERE.