2 hours ago Artan, who was named the Confederation of African Football (Caf) men's referee of the twelvemonth successful 2025, was 1 of 52 referees selected for the tournament.
However, his "dream" came crashing down arsenic helium attempted to question to the on-pitch officials' basal successful Florida, with Artan telling the New York Times, external helium had faced an 11-hour migration interrogation and was detained for respective hours earlier enactment connected a formation backmost to Istanbul, Turkey.
Speaking to BBC World Service, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force connected the World Cup, said: "While I can't spell into the derog [derogatory information] connected that I tin archer you it was the close determination by customs and borderline patrol and I enactment that decision."
It was not imaginable for Artan to enactment extracurricular the United States and referee matches played successful Canada oregon Mexico, with each on-pitch officials based successful Florida for training, preparation, and security.
Trump placed a afloat introduction prohibition nether immoderate visa class for 12 countries, including Somalia, successful June 2025.
Two days earlier the World Cup gully successful December 2025, Trump drew wide attraction for comments made astir Somalia successful the pb up to a planned migration enforcement cognition successful Minnesota, which has a ample Somali community.
"With Somalia, which is hardly a country, you know, they person nary anything," helium said.
"They conscionable tally astir sidesplitting each other. There's nary structure."
He added that Somali immigrants should "go backmost to wherever they came from" and that the US would "go the incorrect mode if we support taking successful garbage to our country".
On arriving home, Artan urged Somalia's younker not to suffer anticipation successful their state successful the look of his treatment, stating: "Let's each support Somalia's honour. We each beryllium to Somalia whether it's atrocious oregon good.
"That emblem is ours and truthful is the passport - let's support it.
"The younker shouldn't beryllium demoralised astir their country. Despite this happening to me, I'll inactive lasting for my nation.
"I privation to proceed my travel from present and impulse the younker the same."
- Image caption,
Omar Abdulkadir was greeted enthusiastically erstwhile helium flew into Magadishu
English (US)·