AFP, Mogadishu

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu and vowed to take part in the next tournament in 2030.

More than 100 supporters lined up outside the VIP section of Mogadishu’s main airport, waving national flags as Artan disembarked from a Turkish Airlines flight to cheers.

“I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud... Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” Artan told journalists.

Artan’s rejection has sparked outrage at home.

Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.

A US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, therefore “making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States”.

FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup set to start on Thursday.

Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.

I really hope that there’s a massive re-think of how immigration enforcement is impacting human rights and human dignity, and that especially for the World Cup, there is a re-think of the policies that we have unfortunately seen prevailing, especially in the US. I also hope that the dehumanisation of the other, the dehumanisation of migrants, the dehumanisation of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end, because nobody benefits from divisive and polarising narratives.

UN rights chief VOLKER TURK