SOCCER: Barred Somali referee to receive full World Cup pay

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

Artan arrived in Miami on June 6 on a flight from Istanbul but was denied entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after undergoing additional screening upon arrival.

“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 a 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.”

The 34-year-old official was recognized as the 2025 Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football. He has previously officiated in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and, last year, handled his first major continental final—second leg of the 2025 CAF Champions League final between Egypt’s Pyramids FC and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on June 1.

Following his denial of entry into the United States, European football governing body UEFA later appointed Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain, scheduled for Aug. 12 in Salzburg, Austria.

FIFA is reported to have ensured that Artan will receive full pay for his World Cup assignment despite not being able to participate in the tournament.

— Reporting by Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media/Reuters