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Omar Artan, the World Cup 2026 referee who was deported, was welcomed as a hero in Somalia
🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

Omar Artan, the World Cup 2026 referee who was deported, was welcomed as a hero in Somalia

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Somali World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the U.S. and deported despite having proper documentation.
  • Artan, selected as Africa's top referee for 2025, was set to officiate in the 2026 World Cup.
  • Upon returning to Somalia, he received a hero's welcome, vowing to continue pursuing his dream.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a 34-year-old Somali referee poised to make history at the 2026 World Cup, was unexpectedly denied entry into the United States and deported. Artan, recognized as the African Confederation's most outstanding referee for 2025, arrived in Miami with the intention of participating in the prestigious tournament. However, after an eleven-hour interrogation at the airport and subsequent time in a holding cell, he was placed on a flight back to Istanbul without being informed of the reasons for his exclusion from the U.S.

I will be at the next World Cup and continue to make Somalia proud... Despite what happened to me, I am not demotivated.

— Omar Abdulkadir ArtanSpeaking after his deportation from the U.S. and return to Somalia.

Artan, one of 52 referees chosen for the World Cup, landed in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, to a reception of journalists and football fans. This welcome offered some solace after the ordeal. "I will be at the next World Cup and continue to make Somalia proud... Despite what happened to me, I am not demotivated," Artan stated. He asserted that he possessed all necessary documentation and the correct visa.

I had the correct documentation, I had everything, I had the proper visa.

— Omar Abdulkadir ArtanAsserting he met all requirements for entry into the United States.

Somalia is among the countries subject to travel restrictions to the U.S., a policy implemented under the Trump administration. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) explained that Artan underwent additional screening upon arrival, described as a routine step. Following this inspection, the referee was deemed inadmissible due to background check issues, leading to his denied entry.

During the procedures, the traveler was subjected to additional inspection, a routine step.

— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)Explaining the process Artan underwent at Miami airport.

During questioning, Artan was repeatedly asked if he had ever met representatives of Al-Shabab, an armed group active in Somalia. He denied any knowledge of the group, stating his sole purpose in the U.S. was to officiate matches. The incident sparked outrage in Somalia, with the Ministry of Youth and Sports defending Artan's integrity and lamenting the failure of diplomatic efforts with U.S. authorities and FIFA to reverse the expulsion. FIFA was also contacted regarding the matter.

At the end of the inspection, the traveler, a referee for the World Cup, was deemed inadmissible due to background check issues and denied entry.

— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)Stating the official reason for Artan's denied entry.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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