The world football governing body, FIFA, has agreed to pay African referee Omar Artan his entitlement after he missed the 2026 World Cup due to being denied entry into the United States. The Somalian referee was barred from entering the country, ending his dream of becoming the first official from his nation at the Mundial.
Omar Artan's Denied Entry
Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on June 8 ahead of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19. However, officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection reportedly denied him entry into the country. The Somalian referee was questioned for 11 hours before being placed on a return flight to Istanbul and subsequently back to Somalia, where he received a hero's welcome and later met with the country's president.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed Artan's removal from the World Cup contingent, stating that he was deemed inadmissible following additional screening procedures upon arrival. No further details were provided regarding the decision.
FIFA's Decision to Pay
FIFA has reportedly confirmed that Artan will receive the full payment he would have earned had he officiated at the 2026 World Cup. According to BBC, the world football governing body has agreed to pay his fee in full, although referees are typically informed of their final earnings only after the tournament concludes.
Artan is expected to receive around $100,000, the amount reportedly allocated to referees selected for group-stage duties at the tournament. The figure could have increased had he officiated additional matches in the knockout rounds, including the final.
As one of the 52 referees originally appointed for the World Cup, the Somalian official will now miss the competition entirely. FIFA established its refereeing operations base in Miami for the tournament, making it impossible for Artan to be reassigned to matches in Canada or Mexico after being denied entry into the United States. As a result, he was forced to return home and forgo his World Cup duties.
FIFA's Stance on Immigration
Meanwhile, FIFA clarified that the world governing body cannot intervene because host governments maintain absolute authority over immigration, visa adjudications, and border entry decisions. "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan's status will not be changed at present. In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
Artan to Officiate UEFA Match
In related news, Legit.ng earlier reported that European football's governing body has now handed the highly-rated African referee another prestigious assignment. In a statement released on Thursday, UEFA confirmed that Artan will take charge of the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League champions Aston Villa.
