Referee Artan gets hero's welcome in Somalia after being denied US entry and World Cup dream

Artan, who was named Africa's referee of the year in 2025, was poised to become the first Somali official at soccer's global showcase, but was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection over the weekend.

The Trump administration stated on Tuesday that the US had refused Artan entry for the World Cup due to his connections with "suspected members of terror organisations".

"What has happened has happened and it was fate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me," Artan told reporters upon his arrival in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

“Somalia is ours, whether things are good or bad. I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country,” he said. "I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be."

Later on Wednesday, thousands of cheering supporters, some carrying flags and photos of Artan, filled a stadium in Mogadishu, where he was the guest of honour at a match.

Many expressed deep disappointment at the US decision but insisted that Artan's reputation remained unchanged in their eyes.

“As young people, we really felt his pain. We all also have dreams. He made such a huge effort to reach the stage he reached and was eventually let down," student Abdulqadir Ali Abokor, 26, told Reuters.

“For us and for many around the world he is... a champion and this decision doesn’t make a difference," he added.

"We are here to show him that we stand with him," fitness instructor and former referee Abdi Abdulle Baasaale, 54, said.

Somalia's Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who met Artan on Wednesday, said he had "won the hearts of millions and secured his place in history".

"Omar Artan has done more than unite the footballing world, he has ignited hope in every child who dares to dream beyond the horizon. Dreams may be deferred, but they are never defeated," Barre said in a post on X.