Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will be paid his full tournament fee.
The Trump administration said the United States had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to “suspected members of terror organizations”.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, FIFA has committed to paying his salary.
Artan to referee UEFA Super Cup after missing World Cup opportunity
Artan, Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was set to become the first Somali to officiate at soccer’s global showpiece, but was turned back by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
However, he returned home to a hero’s welcome while European soccer body UEFA appointed him to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa in August.
- Chelsea fined £10m, given suspended transfer ban for breaching agent rules - August 1, 2026
- FIFA scraps private investment plan after backlash - August 1, 2026
- Nigeria’s stock market records N13bn loss amid profit-taking - August 1, 2026
