FIFA will pay Somali referee Omar Artan full World Cup fee after US visa denial
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.
On Monday, Artan was interrogated for 11 hours by US immigration authorities at Miami International Airport, only to be told he would not be allowed into the country after his diplomatic passport and entry visa were rejected.
A US government official explained that Artan’s entry was denied because of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.” According to Artan, he had been questioned about links to the Somali militant group Al Shabaab and insisted that he knew nothing of the organisation.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” he said. “I’m just simply a referee who is trying to live my dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
After being rerouted to a flight back to Turkey, Artan was given assistance by FIFA officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Sources told BBC Sport that, although Artan will not take part in the World Cup, FIFA has committed to paying his salary as though he had officiated, a policy that is paid after the tournament’s conclusion.
Referees typically do not know the exact fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup beforehand, as payment is made only after the tournament’s end.
2018 marked the year when Artan was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s referee of the year. Since then, he has been invited to officiate the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg, Austria, and has expressed a vow to officiate at the 2030 World Cup.
