Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the referee whose World Cup dreams have been dashed after being refused entry to the United States, has been given a hero's welcome upon his return to his homeland of Somalia.
Artan, who was named Africa's Referee of the Year in 2025, had been primed realise his World Cup dream by becoming the first Somali official to referee at the tournament, but was refused entry to the USA at Miami International Airport on Monday despite holding an US entry visa.
He was subsequently returned to Turkey, from where he departed for Somalia, where he arrived at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday - being greeted by members of the Somali Football Federation, government officials and hundreds of well-wishers from the general public.
"I want to thank FIFA for supporting me all the way, and for Somali people also," he told Al Jazeera. "So I am very grateful for FIFA and for CAF also. This is what I have to say."
Somali FA President Ali Abdi Mohamed, also shared his support for Artan.
"The denial has now affected Omar Artan, a referee who earned the right to officiate at the highest levels of world football, and truly deserved the opportunity," he told assembled journalists in Mogadishu.
US authorities have stated that the referee was denied entry in Miami because of a 'vetting concern', with executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force Andrew Giuliani suggesting on Tuesday to BBC World Service that the 34-year-old had been barred because of his "association with suspected members of terrorist organisations," without giving further detail.
Artan is understood to have been interrogated for 11 hours upon his arrival at Miami International Airport, prompting a widespread outcry on social media regarding his treatment.
The Premier of British Columbia in Canada has invited the referee to officiate games in Vancouver, although the referees training base for the tournament is located in Miami, meaning there is no clear way for Artan to take part in the competition.
FIFA did not respond to ESPN when asked if Artan could officiate in Canda or Mexico.
President Trump placed a full entry ban on any visa category from 12 different nation states - including Somalia - in June 2025 - although Artan had been issued a valid visa due to his official participation in the World Cup.
"I think they have a problem with my country," Artan told The New York Times.
FIFA, when questioned, refused to criticise US authorities for the Artan decision, reiterating that it was not responsible for decisions around visa issuing or entry to any of the host countries.
"Of course, we interacted with FIFA on the matter and FIFA is interacting with the host nation," an official from the Confederation of African Football told ESPN.
"He has also been talking to our referees department throughout the entire situation.
"I don't know what more kind of support we can be. What we are doing is quite diplomacy, we cannot be negotiating in public when we do that."
Former England striker Ian Wright was one of several public figures who spoke out, criticising the States' decision to bar entry to Artan.
"I've just read that the Somalian referee has been denied entry," he shared on an Instagram video.
"Every few hours it's another story, another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs.
"I'm laughing but it's not funny, it's actually not funny and something has to be said; the expensive tickets, the most expensive tickets ever, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof. It has to be said.
"Is this how the hosts behave really for the greatest game, the greatest tournament in the world, is this how the hosts behave?" he concluded. "This is the World Cup, this is a World Cup of chaos."
Colin Udoh and Mark Ogden contributed to this report.