Shafaq News

FIFA will compensate Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan his full World Cup tournament fee despite his exclusion from the 2026 finals after US authorities denied him entry, a source told Reuters.

Artan, Africa’s best male referee in 2025, had been selected among the tournament’s match officials and was set to be the first Somali referee ever, but was stopped at Miami International Airport last week and questioned for 11 hours before being refused entr by the US Customs and Border Protection, which deemed him inadmissible over vetting concerns, preventing him from joining the referee training camp or officiating any matches.

He returned to Somalia after the decision and received a public welcome. UEFA later appointed him to officiate its Super Cup in August.

The exact amount of the payment has not been disclosed, but previous FIFA figures suggest World Cup referees can earn up to about $100,000, depending on appointments and progression through the tournament.