Key facts
- The African Youth Sports Academy in Seattle returned 20 free World Cup tickets.
- The decision was made in solidarity after the U.S. barred Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the country.
- The tickets were originally intended for low-income youth and their parents.
- The tickets have been reallocated to the Somali Health Board.
- Ali Abdulla, leader of the nonprofit, is a former semi-professional soccer player and Somali refugee.
A Seattle-based nonprofit, the African Youth Sports Academy, has returned 20 free tickets to an upcoming World Cup match in solidarity with Omar Artan, the first Somali referee selected to officiate in the tournament, who was barred from entering the United States. Ali Abdulla, the nonprofit's leader and a Somali refugee himself, stated that the decision was made after consulting with parents and coaches who felt heartbroken and betrayed by Artan's exclusion.
The tickets were part of a larger distribution of 1,400 tickets organized by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and the local FIFA World Cup organizing committee. Abdulla, a former semi-professional player, had initially considered stepping down from his volunteer FIFA ambassador role but found the ticket return to be a more significant gesture of support.
The mayor's office confirmed the tickets were reallocated to another community group, the Somali Health Board. Abdulla, who works as a transit security officer, previously played for the Seattle Somali Stars and now organizes the annual Somali Week tournament, which draws teams from various locations and celebrates community through soccer.