World Cup 2026: resoundingly rejected by Trump, becomes a hero at home
Referee Omar Artan was greeted like a hero in Somalia upon his return from the United States, where he was denied entry into the country to referee at the 2026 World Cup, set to start in North America. The Somali match director had only last year been honored as Africa’s best referee, but U.S. security forces would have none of it and turned him away at the airport.
The Trump administration said the United States denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his ties to “suspected members of terrorist organizations.” Artan was greeted in Mogadishu by hundreds of fans. “I promise you, God willing, that I will participate in the next edition of the World Cup,” he said at the airport.
“I want the Somali public to find comfort in this and keep the faith,” continued Artan, who would be the first referee from his country to direct a World Cup match. The match director was escorted by police officers and was welcomed by the Somali Minister of Youth and Sports. “Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a difficult situation or not. That flag and that passport belong to us. It’s up to all of us to defend the name of Somalia.”
FIFA, which had selected him in recent months, said it was not responsible for visa and entry procedures in host countries.
The Artan case is part of a broader picture of tensions related to U.S. entry policies ahead of the tournament. The Trump administration had suspended visas for 75 countries earlier this year, including Somalia, and the repercussions on the soccer world multiplied in the weeks leading up to the start of the competition. Among the most sensational episodes was the one involving Iraq striker Aymen Hussein, who was detained for seven hours in a room at the Chicago airport and subjected to lengthy interrogation before being allowed to enter the country, while his national team’s photographer, Talal Salah, was instead permanently turned away. Extremely strict controls, with metal detectors and drug-sniffing dogs, also affected the Uzbekistan national team, coached by Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro, which was searched upon arrival in New York: videos of the scene quickly went viral.
