Mogadishu, June 10 -- Somalia soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan on Wednesday said the decision to bar him from entering the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026 was unfortunate.

Artan, Africa's referee of the year in 2025, had been set to become the first Somali to officiate at soccer's global showpiece, but was turned back by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the weekend, according to Reuters.

The Trump administration said on Tuesday that the US had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to suspected members of terror organisations.

"What happened has happened, and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me," Artan told reporters after arriving in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, a...