Somali referee Abdulkadir Artan, who was previously denied entry to the US and unable to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, returned to Mogadishu on Wednesday and was greeted by about 100 people. He stated that he would not be discouraged by this and firmly believes he will appear at the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

"I will be at the next FIFA World Cup in 2030," Artan told about 100 people who came to greet him at Mogadishu airport on Wednesday. A few days earlier, he had been denied entry to the United States, where he was supposed to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Artan said: "Even though I went through something like this, I am not discouraged. We have our own country, Somalia, and this flag. We must defend its honor, come what may."

Related reading:

US government official: Somali referee denied visa linked to suspected terrorist group members