Referee Omar Artan, center (AP Photo)
Somali referee Omar Artan will receive his full World Cup pay despite being unable to officiate at the tournament after being banned from entering the United States, according to a person familiar with the matter.According to the Associated Press, Artan will still be eligible for the same tournament fee he would have received had he participated in the competition. The final amount is expected to be determined after the World Cup ends next month.Artan, widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading match referees, has been selected to referee at the World Cup after a breakout year in which he was named Africa Referee of the Year 2025.However, his participation in the tournament ended before it began after he was denied entry upon his arrival at Miami International Airport from Istanbul last week.According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Artane was deemed “inadmissible due to audit concerns.”The 34-year-old has already obtained a visa to travel to the United States, according to the Somali Embassy in Kenya, which handled the application process.
He was due to join his fellow World Cup referees at a training camp in Miami ahead of the tournament.FIFA later clarified that it had no role in immigration decisions and noted that final authority for entry rested with the government of the host country. As a result, Artan was unable to participate in training activities or officiate any matches during the tournament, which lasted approximately six weeks.Despite the disappointment, Artan received a warm welcome upon his return to Somalia earlier this week.
Welcomed by fans in his homeland, the referee expressed his determination to be part of the next World Cup in 2030, which is scheduled to be held primarily in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.Artan’s standing within the global game has been underscored by his recent appointment to officiate the European Super Cup in August, one of the marquee fixtures in European football.“Football was created for communication between people, and UEFA wants to show its respect for Omar and his outstanding management skills,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.While Artan’s opportunity to play in the World Cup has been cut short by immigration issues, the decision to make his full tournament payment and his selection for another major international assignment underscores the high regard in which he is held in world football.