Barred Somali referee to receive full World Cup pay

The referee remains in the spotlight after being turned away on arrival in Miami

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was expected to officiate at matches during the 2026. FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to US, waves towards fans at the Mogadishu stadium, in Mogadishu, Somalia, Jun 10, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the Somali referee who was barred from entering the United States to officiate World Cup matches, will receive full pay for the tournament from FIFA, according to a report from Reuters.

Artan arrived in Miami on a flight from Istanbul on June 6, where he was denied entry into the country by US Customs and Border Protection.

"During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP's inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility," CBP said in its statement. "Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry."

Artan, 34, earned 2025 Referee of the Year plaudits from the Confederation of African Football. He had previously officiated in two African Cup of Nations. A year ago, he took charge of his first major continental final, Leg 2 of the 2025 CAF Champions League final between Egypt's Pyramids FC and South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on Jun 1.

In the aftermath of his denial into the United States, UEFA, Europe's governing body for soccer, selected him to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain on Aug 12 in Salzburg, Austria.