‘I will be at the next one’: Defiant Somali referee Omar Artan vows to officiate at 2030 World Cup

Mogadishu: Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred from entering the United States for the World Cup, received a triumphant reception upon his return to Mogadishu and pledged to officiate in the subsequent tournament in 2030.

"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 an assembly of more than 100 followers and reporters at Mogadishu’s primary airport.

Artan had been on track to become the inaugural official from Somalia to referee at a World Cup after securing a spot on FIFA's definitive tournament roster. Recognised as one of Africa's premier match officials, he was honoured as the continent's top male referee in 2025.

US Customs and Border Protection stated that Artan was turned away at Miami International Airport on Saturday due to "vetting concerns," though the agency declined to elaborate on the specific nature of the issues. Following the decision, FIFA removed him from the tournament's officiating panel.

The Somali Embassy in Kenya, which oversaw his application process, confirmed that Artan had been granted a valid US travel visa last week. The United States is co-hosting the competition alongside Mexico and Canada, and Artan had been travelling to join his refereeing peers at their designated preparatory headquarters in Miami.

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Upon landing at the airport in Mogadishu, Artan was greeted with a hero's welcome, where he expressed gratitude to the Somali government, its citizens, and FIFA for their backing.

"I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one," he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved the Somali flag. "I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident."

The unique decision by the US to bar a FIFA-designated match official from participating in a host nation sparked international condemnation and prompted scrutiny among some enthusiasts regarding America's suitability to host the competition.

Somalia is among nearly 40 countries currently facing intensified travel constraints enacted under immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration.

Hours before Artan’s flight landed at Aden Adde International Airport at approximately 8:30 am local time, hundreds of followers, state dignitaries, and representatives from the local soccer community assembled to greet him.

As Artan exited the aircraft, spectators brandishing Somali flags surrounded the official before enveloping him in the national colours.

Law enforcement personnel subsequently escorted him to the airport’s VIP terminal, where he was formally received by Somalia's Minister of Youth and Sports, leaders from the Somali Football Federation, and other dignitaries before addressing the media.

"It is up to all of us to defend the Somali name," Artan said. "Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a bad state or a good state. That flag belongs to us, and that passport belongs to us."

In a homeland where decades of conflict and the emergence of the al-Qaida-aligned al-Shabab extremist group have constrained individual advancement, Artan’s exclusion generated widespread disappointment while simultaneously reinforcing to many what can be achieved through perseverance.

Artan’s anticipated achievement at this year’s competition "stands no matter what," World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote Tuesday on X. "You reached the summit of your profession and inspired a generation back home just by getting there, and being kept off the pitch you earned doesn't change that," he added.

With inputs from AP