FIFA will pay the Somali referee his full fee for the World Cup
Somali soccer referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States by U.S. border officials, will still receive his full financial compensation for officiating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The sports official was deported immediately upon arrival in the country due to suspicions of ties to radical groups.
The scandalous incident involving the referee unfolded right at Miami International Airport. U.S. immigration officials subjected the Somali national to a harsh and grueling interrogation that lasted 11 hours straight.
Following this interview, border officials decided to deny him entry, revoked his official single-entry U.S. visa, and refused to allow him to cross the border using his diplomatic passport.
A U.S. government official later explained the reasons behind such drastic actions by U.S. law enforcement agencies.
According to him, Artan was denied entry into the country due to alleged “links to possible members of terrorist organizations.”
The soccer referee himself said that border officials questioned him most extensively about his contacts with militants from the Somali radical group “Al-Shabaab.”
The referee categorically denied any accusations and told the officers that he knew nothing about the activities of this organization.
“I had all the necessary documents. I had the appropriate visa. I’m just a referee who was trying to fulfill my dream, the biggest dream of my life—to get to the World Cup,” Omar Artan commented on the situation.
The authoritative international publication BBC has officially reported on this incident and the decision regarding compensation.
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