International News
Banned Referee Artan Arrives Home In Somalia To Rousing Welcome
Referee Omar Artan has vowed to officiate at the 2030 World Cup after arriving home in Somalia following his ban from entering the United States.
The 34-year-old – Africa’s referee of the year in 2025 – was set to be the first Somali to referee at a World Cup finals but was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Monday despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single entry US visa.
No reason for his repatriation has been given by US immigration authorities, but Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump.
He arrived back in Somalia on Wednesday, landing at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu where he was greeted by government officials and representatives of the Somali Football Federation, as well as fellow referees and local residents.
Artan is expected to attend a public event at Mogadishu Stadium later on Wednesday afternoon and watch a match between Heegan and Dekadaha.
“I’d like to thank the officials, ministers, MPs and everyone. I want to thank my country and people for their support. The encouragement I received here, I know I’ll get more support outside [the airport],” Artan said, translated into English by the BBC.
“Everything is pre-destined. Fifa supported me well and were in touch with me until I reached Mogadishu.
“I promise you that I’ll be officiating you in the next World Cup. Somalia, everywhere, I’m letting you know.”
Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football (Caf) men’s referee of the year in 2025, was one of 52 referees selected for the tournament.
However, his “dream” came crashing down as he attempted to travel to the on-pitch officials’ base in Florida, with Artan telling the New York Times, external he had faced an 11-hour immigration interview and was detained for several hours before be was put on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey.
Speaking to BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said: “While I can’t go into the derog [derogatory information] on that I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”
It was not possible for Artan to stay outside the United States and referee matches played in Canada or Mexico, with all on-pitch officials based in Florida for training, preparation, and security.
Trump placed a full entry ban under any visa category for 12 countries, including Somalia, in June 2025.
Two days before the World Cup draw in December 2025, Trump drew widespread attention for comments made about Somalia in the lead up to a planned immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, which has a large Somali community.
“With Somalia, which is barely a country, you know, they have no anything,” he said.
“They just run around killing each other. There’s no structure.”
He added that Somali immigrants should “go back to where they came from” and that the US would “go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage to our country”.
On arriving home, Artan urged Somalia’s youth not to lose hope in their country in the face of his treatment, stating: “Let’s all defend Somalia’s honour. We all belong to Somalia whether it’s bad or good.
“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.”
Hundreds of people gathered at the Mogadishu Airport to give a warm welcome to Omar Artan.
Some in the crowd carried banners with supportive slogans while others wore specially made hats bearing pictures of the referee, who has quickly become an icon in his homeland.
There were also social media celebrities who posed for photos with Artan and live-streamed the welcome on their platforms.
Amid the celebratory reception, there was also visible anger that the first Somali appointed as a World Cup referee had been denied entry to the United States.
For his part, Artan was very happy with the welcome he received. The determined look on his face backed up the statements he has made about continuing his career and he told friends that he is ready to start training right away.
After the press conference, he was given a grand farewell. Thousands more people are expected to greet him at the Mogadishu Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Another hero’s welcome is on the cards.
The first batch of Nigerian nationals to be evacuated from South Africa is expected to arrive in Lagos tomorrow morning.
According to the updates provided by the Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, an Air Peace plane will depart the Oliver Thambo International Airport in Johannesburg today with 268 people.
The update reads: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the first batch of Nigerian nationals that will be evacuated from the Republic of South Africa due to Xenophobic attacks
“The evacuation operation will be undertaken by Air Peace Airlines.
‘’The Federal Government has fully funded the evacuation exercise; consequently, all affected Nigerians will be repatriated at no cost to them.’’
The ministry assured Nigerians that the Federal Government, through relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs), has put in place necessary reception and support arrangements for the would-be returnees.
It added that ‘’upon arrival, the evacuees will undergo documentation and profiling procedures and will receive the appropriate assistance and support before being reunited with their families.”
More than 1,000 Nigerians indicated interest in leaving South Africa following the Xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals.
According to Egyptian journalist Ahmed Mubarak, Al-Ittihad has offered Salah an astronomical annual salary of £65 million.
Salah, 33, will leave Liverpool as a free agent this summer. This season, he made 41 appearances for the Reds, contributing 12 goals and 10 assists.
According to Egyptian journalist Ahmed Mubarak, Al-Ittihad wants to sign Salah on a free transfer and has already offered the Egyptian star a three-year contract with an after-tax annual salary of up to £65 million. This means that, without counting sponsorship income, image rights earnings, or commercial bonuses, Salah could receive a basic salary of £195 million over three years.
The report further states that if all the incomes mentioned in the report are added up, Salah’s contract would exceed the total salary of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.
Diogo Jota’s widow has urged Scotland captain Andrew Robertson to carry his former Liverpool team-mate in his heart when he lives their dream of playing at the World Cup.
Jota died aged 28 in a car crash last July, after helping Portugal secure World Cup qualification.
Jota won 49 caps but never played at a World Cup after missing the 2022 tournament through a calf injury.
“I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today,” defender Robertson said after Scotland secured World Cup qualification in November.
“We spoke so much about going to the World Cup because he missed the last one with Portugal and I did with Scotland. I know he’ll be smiling over me today.”
In a letter to Robertson published by Fifa, Rute Cardoso, the mother of Jota’s three children, said: “Diogo often spoke of you. Of the friendship you built, the battles you fought together, the challenges, the laughter, the conversations about football… and about dreams.
“The World Cup was one of those dreams, a dream that the two of you nurtured, side by side, with the same passion with which you took to the pitch.
“When I heard your words and learnt what you felt on that day when Scotland qualified for the World Cup, after so many years of waiting, I realised that Diogo never truly left the pitch.
“By achieving that moment and securing your place at the World Cup, you won’t be going alone.
“You’ll be taking his dream with you too. And when you step on to the pitch, I know it won’t just be you walking out. Diogo will be with you in your thoughts, in your steps, in your heart.
“So today, I want to thank you. Thank you for not forgetting him. Thank you for taking him with you. Thank you for turning the pain of loss into strength and into something so beautiful.
“That’s how we do it here at home too. Every day. He would be, and is, incredibly proud of you. Cherish that dream, Andy. Live it for yourself and for him.”
Robertson was filmed by Fifa reading out the letter and thanked Cardoso, saying it would stay with him for a “very long time”.
The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July.
Scotland, playing in their first World Cup since 1998, face Haiti on Sunday, Morocco on 19 June and Brazil on 24 June in Group C.
Robertson, who has joined Tottenham since leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, said: “I’ll carry him in my heart and I know he’ll be with me come the first game, come the second game, come the third game and hopefully beyond that.
“He’s always there. The memories are always something that we bring up and sometimes laugh, sometimes cry.
“And that will be no different, especially going into a tournament which is full of emotion. I know he’ll be right at the front of my mind.
“I’m not only just playing for me. I’m playing for both of us.”
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