Mogadishu: Somali football referee Omar Artan received a hero's welcome on his return home after he was denied entry to the US, a decision that prevented him from officiating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Anadolu Agency, senior government officials, including Sports Minister Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali, Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, and senior officials from the Somali Football Federation, welcomed him at the Adan Adde International Airport in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday. At a press conference following his arrival, Artan expressed gratitude and optimism, stating, "I can promise you that I will officiate at the next FIFA World Cup and I thank FIFA, the Somali people for their support."

Artan was poised to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup. Despite the setback, he maintained a positive outlook, emphasizing his focus on future challenges in his refereeing career.

The Somali Football Federation hailed Artan's journey as "a source of pride for Somalia, CECAFA (Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations), and African football." His denied entry to the US sparked international uproar, with some football fans advocating for a World Cup boycott.

Artan's accomplishments in the realm of refereeing were recently recognized when he was named Africa's Best Referee for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football. However, his ambitions were thwarted by a proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump on June 4, 2025, which fully restricts the entry of Somali nationals into the country. The proclamation stated, "The entry into the United States of nationals of Somalia as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended."