FIFA to pay Somali referee Omar Artan full World Cup fees
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.
Artan was interrogated for 11 hours by US immigration authorities at Miami International Airport on Monday before being told he would not be allowed into the country after his diplomatic passport and single entry US visa were rejected.
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A US government official said Artan had not been allowed to enter the country because of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.”
Artan said he had been questioned by border officials over his links to Somali militant group Al Shabab and had told them he knew nothing about the organisation.
Right documentation
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” said Artan.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
After being put back on a plane to Turkey, Artan received assistance from FIFA officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Sources told BBC Sport that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, FIFA has committed to paying his salary.
Referees do not know the actual fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup, which is paid after the tournament is over.
Reassigned to Super Cup
The decision sparked widespread condemnation among football stakeholders and federations, with Somali FA rebuking FIFA and the US over the controversy.
However, in an attempt to placate the continent, the official was confirmed as the candidate to officiate the 2026UEFA Super match between PSG and Aston Villa after he was reassigned to the prestigious fixture.
UEFA made the declaration in an official announcement on Thursday, June 11, 2026, confirming that the 34-year-old will take charge of the high-profile fixture scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria.
