Despite being barred from entering the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Somali referee Omar Artan will still receive his complete tournament fee from FIFA.
According to Naija News, the development follows Artan’s deportation by US immigration officials after he landed at Miami International Airport earlier in the week.
The 34-year-old official was held for 11 hours of questioning before being told he could not enter the country. Despite holding a diplomatic passport and a valid single-entry US visa, both were rejected, putting an end to his World Cup officiating ambitions.
A US government source claimed the refusal was linked to an alleged connection to individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist groups. Artan revealed that immigration agents quizzed him specifically about possible ties to the Somali militant outfit Al Shabab — a claim he strongly rejected.
Speaking on the ordeal, Artan insisted his documentation was in order. He described the World Cup as his lifelong dream and said he was only trying to fulfil his role as a match official. He was subsequently flown to Turkey, where FIFA representatives in Istanbul helped arrange his journey home to Mogadishu.
Even though he won’t take part in the tournament, BBC Sport sources say FIFA has agreed to pay him his full salary. Naija News understands that match officials usually only learn their final pay after the World Cup concludes.
The setback comes on the back of an impressive career trajectory for Artan. He was crowned the Confederation of African Football’s Referee of the Year for 2025 and made history as the first Somali official to take charge of a CAF Champions League final, handling the second leg between Pyramids FC and Mamelodi Sundowns.
He has also handled fixtures at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile and the Africa Cup of Nations. Looking ahead, Artan has been named as a referee for the UEFA Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12, and he has vowed to keep pushing toward officiating at the 2030 World Cup.
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