Referee Artan returns to Somalia: Received like a hero after saying goodbye to the World Cup

Somalia welcomed Omar Abdulkadir Artan with every honor. The international referee, chosen by FIFA to officiate matches at the 2026 World Cup, received a hero's welcome when he returned to his homeland after a controversial incident in which he was denied entry by US authorities upon arriving in Miami.

Despite being assigned a prestigious assignment by FIFA, this Somali referee did not receive permission to enter the United States. After being detained by immigration authorities and questioned for 11 hours, Artan was deported on a direct flight to Istanbul, Türkiye, without any review by US authorities.

The question is how it is that a referee appointed for the world's biggest football event did not receive appropriate guarantees from FIFA to enter the hosting country. According to the latest information, one of the factors contributing to the US government's decision was Artan's use of a diplomatic passport, which caused suspicion during border checks. This is a detail that needs to be handled in advance by the competent authorities.

The matter becomes more sensitive when Artan is not just a mere spectator of the tournament, but one of 117 referees chosen by FIFA for the World Cup. In 2025, he was also honored as the best referee in Africa of the year, affirming his position in the international arena.

Meanwhile, some politicians in Canada have emphasized that the referee will be welcomed without any problems in the other two countries, Canada and Mexico, but that all World Cup referees must be present in Miami for the duration of the tournament, where they participate in daily training sessions, technical meetings and information sessions organized by the FIFA referees committee.