Sometimes what feels like rejection is actually redirection to... something bigger. Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the US to officiate at the World Cup — a moment many thought would damage his career. Instead, he returned home a national hero. 🇸 A hero’s welcome. A meeting with the President. A match played in his honour. Cash gifts. And now, a chance to officiate the UEFA Super Cup. And now, even the girls in Somalia are falling for the famous ref. 😌😍 Some “misfortunes” are blessings in disguise. 🇸🇴 #WorldCup #FifaWorldCup #Somaliashow more

🚨🇸🇴 WATCH: The moment referee Omar Artan was welcomed... back to Somalia after being denied entry to the US where he was set to officiate at the World Cup Artan said“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one”show more

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the... United States, a move that cost him the opportunity to officiate on the international stage for a season. However, the rejection has made him a star and a hero back home. As the saying goes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Omar will never be the same again. 🎥 Courtesyshow more

'Africa's best referee' gets hero's welcome at Somali airport... — after US denied him entry to 2026 World Cup A Somali tycoon promised him $100,000 to make up for lost earnings, while the US Somali diaspora says it plans to raise $1 million in his supportshow more

Iran's RAMIN REZAEIAN Makes World Cup HISTORY The 36-year-old... right back pounced on a loose ball in Seattle and buried it from an impossible angle to level Egypt 1-1. At 36 years, 97 days, he is now the oldest player ever to score for Iran at a World Cup. The goal was his third career World Cup strike, the most by any Iranian player. His third World Cup goal also appears to tie the highest known total by a primary right back in World Cup history.show more

In 2013 UEFA Super Cup, Chelsea lost to Bayern... Munich in a PK shoot-out after Hazard dropped a masterclass. At the end of the game, Mourinho told Chelsea fans to chant Hazard’s name instead of his own. What an amazing moment this was for Hazard.show more

The most ridiculous injury in World Cup history? This... is what the unluckiest day for a footballer looks like A broken arm, a yellow card, zero minutes on the pitch, and leaving on a stretcher — that was England midfielder Jordan Henderson’s match. He was injured while celebrating England’s qualification for the World Cup quarter-finals. Henderson tried to jump over an advertising board, tripped, and landed awkwardly. He had to be carried off on a stretcher. To make matters worse, despite spending the entire match on the bench, he still managed to receive a yellow card for arguing with the referee.show more

🚨 UPDATE FROM BORAMA — AWDAL REGION 🇸🇴 History... is unfolding in real time: Crowds in Borama have removed the Somaliland secessionist flag, and the Somalia national flag is once again flying high over the city, a powerful symbol of unity, identity, and public defiance. The energy in Northern Somalia right now is unmatched. The people are speaking for themselves. 🇸🇴✨show more

Never let a country like Qatar get a World... Cup ever again. The videos I am seeing of fans in Mexico and the US are amazing 😂 This is what a World Cup should be like. The football in Qatar was AMAZING but the atmosphere was soulless.show more

🚨 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Teboho Mokoena has received a HERO’S WELCOME... in his hometown. 🏠🇿🇦 After an OUTSTANDING World Cup campaign, the community has turned out in full force to celebrate their SUPERSTAR. 'Tebza' is home, and he is a LEGEND. 👑✨show more

Last year, Paul Pogba told IShowSpeed that one of... the last things he wanted before retiring was to play at the 2026 World Cup Now the tournament starts tomorrow… and he didn’t make the France squad. He didn’t even get a chance to play his last World Cup💔🥹show more

The first World Cup goal in Kansas City belongs... to Lionel Messi 🇦🇷 Two decades after his World Cup journey began, the Argentine icon adds a 14th World Cup goal to his résumé and gives Kansas City a moment it will never forget. 💛 #FIFAWorldCup #WeAreKansasCity #WeAre26show more

Ilhan Omar is now essentially creating ads for small... businesses who’s owners are from Somalia ‘We have incredible small businesses throughout the Fifth District. Grateful I was able to stop by Albi, a new Somali coffee shop in Minneapolis!’ She should go live in Somaliashow more

🇮🇷 The moment of the draw for Iran's placement... in the World Cup group stage, against the backdrop of Trump's comments. Iran was drawn in a group with New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. This happened at a time when the US government was trying to exclude Iran from the 2026 World Cup.show more

BREAKING NEWS: Ahmed Moallim Fiqi - Somalia Defense Minister’s... Anti-American Outburst Sparks Outrage On July 1, 2026, the U.S. finally cut off funding for AU “peacekeepers” under the failed regime of former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Somalia. What did the expired regime’s Defense Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, do? He told the Somali National Army (SNA) that the only two parties in Somalia are his JSP cronies and Al-Shabaab, then ordered them to spit on and walk over the American flag. Watch the attached video. After years of American taxpayers contributing billions of dollars to Somalia, this ungrateful mouthpiece of former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud failed to eliminate terrorists and instead bit the hand that fed them. Disgusting. The regime’s mandate has been dead since May 15. Fiqi, you anti-American parasite - apologize to the United States and every hard-working American taxpayer right now. #AmericaFirst #StandWithAmerica #Somalia #Counterterrorism #USForeignPolicy UK in Somalia🇬🇧🇸🇴 Department of State Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Villa Somalia Hamza Abdi Barre Somali Embassy-Qatar🇸🇴 وزارة الخارجية UAE in Somalia Chinese Embassy in Somalia Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 U.S. Embassy Mogadishu, Somalia EU Delegation Somalia Italy in Somalia UNSOM Türkiye in Somalia UNDP Somalia World Bank Africa IMF Africa Canada in Kenya, Somalia and Uganda Embassy of Switzerland in Nairobishow more

📸😍 Cameraman randomly spotted a gorgeous girl in the... stadium... A few seconds on screen was all it took for everyone to stop talking about the match and start watching her instead. 🇦🇷✨❤️ Sometimes the biggest World Cup moment isn't on the pitch. ⚽🔥👀show more

What a stadium and what a game to go... with it! Amazing to see the game we love, played at some of the best stadiums in the world! Congrats to Elliot Daly on his 100th 🙌🏻show more

Si Jiahui has returned to his home in China... after a wonderful World Championship debut. Meeting and inspiring the younger generation. A few months with family and working on his game before he returns to Sheffield for the new season 🤩🤩🤩🤩show more

Red card for Paraguay... At the world cup, against... Turkey. They destroyed a whole country's chances to advance.. for speech. Yes you heard that right. Almiron covered his mouth, and got a red card. We've been swearing on the football field for 100years and now the politics have reached the most beloved sport to destroy it.. for speech. I don't care what he said or what he could have said football is being played with a ball. Someone needs to go to jail for damaging football like this. #football World cup 2026.show more

Cristiano Ronaldo giving Cristiano Ronaldo Diogo Jota a kiss... on the chin in what turned out to be his final match for Portugal 💔…. Today he was added to the team’s World Cup squad. May his soul rest in peaceshow more