Somali soccer referee denied entry to US for World Cup is welcomed home as a hero

Omar Artan — named Africa’s best male referee in 2025 and set to be Somalia’s first World Cup official — was denied entry to the U.S. at Miami despite holding a visa and being on FIFA’s referee list.
He returned to Mogadishu to a hero’s welcome, was draped in the national flag, met officials and vowed to be at the next World Cup.
The unusual denial drew international criticism and renewed debate over U.S. immigration vetting and the World Cup hosts’ readiness.