Somali referee barred from the World Cup in the US says the decision was "fate"

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan said this Wednesday (9) that the United States' decision to prevent him from entering the country for the World Cup was a matter of "destiny" and asked his compatriots not to lose hope.

Artan, named African referee of the year in 2025, was about to make history as the first Somali to referee a World Cup. However, he was blocked from entering the United States last weekend.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump's administration said the arbitrator was denied entry due to alleged ties to "suspected members of terrorist organizations."

"What happened, happened, and it was destiny. I am grateful for the support that FIFA gave me," Artan told reporters after returning to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

The referee also made an appeal to the country's youth.

"Somalia is ours, whether in good times or bad. I want to tell our young people not to lose hope in our country. Now I am in my country, and there is no other place I want to be," he said.

The stricter immigration policies adopted by the United States in recent years were already a cause for concern before the World Cup. Washington has implemented broad entry restrictions for citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia.

FIFA informed that Artan will not be able to participate in the preparation or play during the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada and starts this Thursday.

World Cup: see the teams that participated in the World Cup finals

Source: CNN