Somali referee Omar Artan will receive his full World Cup remuneration despite being denied entry into the United States and missing the tournament entirely.
The 34-year-old official was set to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup before his dream was shattered at Miami International Airport earlier this week.
Artan was detained and questioned by US immigration authorities for 11 hours before being informed that he would not be permitted to enter the country.
His diplomatic passport and single-entry US visa were rejected, forcing him to abandon plans to participate in the tournament.
A US government official later claimed Artan had been denied entry because of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations”.
Artan has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
The referee revealed he was questioned about possible links to the Somali militant group Al Shabab but insisted he had no knowledge of the organisation.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan said.
“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 refused entry, Artan was placed on a flight to Turkey before receiving assistance from FIFA officials in Istanbul and eventually returning to Somalia.
Despite his exclusion from the tournament, sources have confirmed that FIFA has committed to paying Artan his full World Cup fee.
Match officials are typically informed of their final compensation only after the tournament concludes, with payments determined by appointments and FIFA’s remuneration structure.
The decision means Artan will not suffer financially despite being unable to officiate any matches.
The gesture comes after what has been an emotional week for the highly respected official.
Artan was named the Confederation of African Football’s Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 and has enjoyed a remarkable rise through the ranks of international football.
Last year he became the first Somali referee to oversee a major continental final when he took charge of the second leg of Pyramids FC’s African Champions League triumph over Mamelodi Sundowns.
He also officiated at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile, handling three matches including the third-place play-off.
Further recognition arrived this week when UEFA appointed him to referee the UEFA Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.
The appointment was widely viewed as a show of support following the controversy surrounding his World Cup exclusion.
After returning home to a warm welcome in Mogadishu, Artan thanked the Somali people for their support and vowed to continue pursuing his ambitions on the global stage.
The referee has already set his sights on officiating at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, determined that his dream will not end with this year’s disappointment.
