Referee Omar Artan given hero’s welcome in Somalia after US entry blocked

• Artan was due to be first Somali referee at World Cup

• ‘I promise you that I will attend the next one’

The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States arrived on Wednesday in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, where he was received by a crowd of supporters and officials.

Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making Fifa’s final list for the tournament. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.