FBL-WC-2026-SOM-REFEREE-IMMIGRATION-DIPLOMACY

Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan reacts as he is welcomed by supporters ahead of a solidarity football match after returning to Somalia in Mogadishu on June 10, 2026. 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. 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. (Photo by Hassan Ali Elmi / AFP via Getty Images)