Referee Omar Artan has promised that he will officiate the 2030 FIFA World Cup upon his return from the United States, from where he has now been banned from traveling into, Yankee Scores reports.
Aged 34 years, Omar is Africa’s best football referee as announced in 2025. The man had hoped to become the first Somali referee to referee in a World Cup finals but he was refused entry into Miami International Airport when trying to enter America despite having a valid diplomatic passport and a single-entry visa.
Reasons for the refusal of the entry have not been disclosed by US immigration officers, but Somalia is on the banned list of travel visas created by US President, Donald Trump.
According to BBC, He landed in Somalia on Wednesday, touching down at the Aden Adde International Airport of Mogadishu airport where the football official was welcomed by officials from the Somali government and the Football Association, besides other referees and locals.
Referee Omar Artan was given a hero’s welcome as he arrived back in Somalia after he was denied entry to the US 🇸🇴 pic.twitter.com/mqQTDQIjNJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 10, 2026
Omar will join a public ceremony organized in Mogadishu Stadium this Wednesday evening, where he will watch Heegan against Dekadaha.
“I’d like to thank the officials, ministers, MPs and everyone. I want to thank my country and people for their support. The encouragement I received here, I know I’ll get more support outside [the airport],” Artan said, translated into English by the BBC.
“Everything is pre-destined. Fifa supported me well and were in touch with me until I reached Mogadishu.
“I promise you that I’ll be officiating you in the next World Cup. Somalia, everywhere, I’m letting you know.”
