The United States have revealed that Somalian referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the country due to his association with suspected members of a terror organization.
Somalia had been placed on a travel ban by president Donald Trump alongside several other countries last year, which resulted in the rejection of Artan upon entry into the United States.
The 34-year-old was subjected to hours of questioning and also detained, before he was put on a flight to Turkey.
Artan had hoped to become the first Somali referee to officiate a World Cup game, but his dreams would now be on hold for at least another four years.
“This individual was seeking admission to the United States. Upon further inspection by CBP [Custom and Border Protection], derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organisations, was discovered making the traveller ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)”, a source close to the United States president said.
“The traveller was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA.
“President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country – full stop.”
Artan has since returned to Somalia where he was given a hero’s welcome upon return by the citizens of the country.
“Let’s all defend Somalia’s honour. We all belong to Somalia whether it’s bad or good”, the 34-year-old said.
“That flag is ours and so is the passport – let’s defend it. The youth shouldn’t be demoralised about their country. Despite this happening to me, I’ll still stand for my nation.
“I want to continue my journey from here and urge the youth to do the same.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kickoff on Thursday with the United States, Mexico and Canada as co-hosts in what will be the biggest edition of the mundial since inception.
Mexico will face South Africa in the opening game on Thursday, before South Korea and Czech Republic face off in the other group A action.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
