By Matthew Mpoke BiggReporting from Nairobi, KenyaWednesday June 10, 2026 Khaled Desouki/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A Somali referee said Tuesday that the most important dream of his professional career had been cut short after U.S. authorities refused him entry to the country, barring him from the World Cup in North America. Omar Abdulkadir Artan was among 52 referees chosen for the tournament this summer. He was one of seven officials from Africa selected and would have become the first Somali referee to work a…

Wednesday June 10, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somalia’s Lower House Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe secured the presidency of Southwest State on Wednesday in a vote in Baidoa that unfolded after a leading contender pulled out, citing alleged election irregularities. The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that Madobe won 88 votes. Abdiasis Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari, his remaining rival, received one vote, and one ballot was ruled invalid. Ninety members of the Southwest House of…

By  OMAR FARUKWednesday June 10, 2026 A scene of celebration greeted Somalia’s Omar Artan on Wednesday when the World Cup referee, blocked from entering the United States, landed in Mogadishu to applause, cheers and Somali flags. Artan said he still intends to reach the next World Cup and urged young Somalis to stand tall and be proud of their nation. Artan had been poised to become the first referee from Somalia to work at a World Cup after earning a place on FIFA’s final tournament list. Already regarded as one of…

By  OMAR FARUKWednesday June 10, 2026 When Omar Artan stepped off the plane in Mogadishu on Wednesday, he was met not as a disappointed official but as a national symbol — a Somali World Cup referee whose journey to football’s biggest stage had been abruptly halted by the United States. Artan, who had been poised to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after landing on FIFA’s final tournament list, told the cheering crowd in Somalia’s capital that his dream was far from over. A leading figure in…

As the World Cup draws closer, the White House official overseeing US preparations has defended a decision that has already stirred controversy: denying entry visas to a Somali referee and several members of Iran’s support staff. Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in Washington, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, said the United States had already welcomed dozens of participating sides without blocking any players or coaches. "To this point we've had 35 teams that have…

Wednesday June 10, 2026 Istanbul (AX) — What was meant to be a landmark moment for Somali football ended in disappointment on Tuesday, when referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan returned to Somalia after being barred from entering the United States and missing out on what would have been a historic World Cup assignment. Artan traveled back from Istanbul, where U.S. border officials had sent him after refusing him entry at Miami International Airport over the weekend. In Mogadishu, preparations were under way to receive him home.…

By Ali HarbTuesday June 9, 2026 Referee Omar Artan signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final in in Rabat, Morocco, on May 24 Washington has barred a leading Somali referee from entering the United States just as he was preparing for the FIFA World Cup, intensifying scrutiny of American travel restrictions and their possible effect on the tournament. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Al Jazeera on Monday that Omar Artan was stopped after landing in South Florida on Saturday. Artan, who is listed…

"I was Questioned for 11 Hours": Somali Referee Omar Artan Speaks Out After U.S. Entry Denial MIAMI, June 9, 2026  – What was meant to be a career-defining trip to the World Cup instead ended at Miami International Airport, where Somali referee Omar Artan says he was detained, questioned for 11 hours and ultimately denied entry to the United States over concerns tied to his country’s politics and militancy. Artan,…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 U.S. authorities over the weekend barred Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from entering the country, derailing plans for him to become the first Somali official to work a World Cup match. A FIFA spokesperson said Monday that Artan will not be able to attend the training and officiating program for the tournament, which begins Thursday, after he was denied entry into the United States. "FIFA is ​not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has ​been…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan, blocking him from traveling to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. / AFP The Somali Football Federation said on Tuesday it was deeply disappointed after international referee Omar Artan was refused entry to the US, preventing him from taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The federation said it had not been given any formal explanation for the decision, but urged restraint until the full circumstances are known. “We acknowledge the…