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Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States, making him unable to officiate at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee, according to Reuters.
Artan, who was named Africa's Referee of the Year in 2025, was poised to become the first Somali official at football's global showpiece but was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection. The US President Donald Trump's administration said on Tuesday that the US had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to suspected members of terror organisations. "What happened has happened, and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me," Artan told reporters after arriving in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, and urged his supporters to stand behind their country, as quoted by Reuters. "Somalia is ours, whether things are good or bad. I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country," he said. "I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be," he added. Notably, FIFA had previously announced the appointment of 52 referees and 88 assistant referees for the World Cup 2026. Artan was later appointed by UEFA to referee the UEFA Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in August. European football's governing body said on Thursday that Artan's appointment for the Super Cup followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is part of a recently signed cooperation agreement between the two organisations. (ANI)
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