Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, will receive the full amount expected for his participation in the tournament, BBC reported. Artan was interrogated for 11 hours by U.S. immigration authorities at Miami International Airport on Monday, and entry into the country was ultimately denied after his diplomatic passport and entry visa were rejected. The justification was an alleged “association with individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist organizations,” and FIFA was unable to intervene. The referee confirmed he was questioned about his connections to the Somali militant group Al Shabab, denying any knowledge of the organization. “I had the right documents and everything. I had the correct visa,” Artan stated. “I am simply a referee trying to live my dream, the biggest dream of my life, which is to come to the World Cup.” Despite not participating in the World Cup, FIFA has committed to paying the salary he would have been entitled to, the exact amount of which will only be known after the competition concludes. Despite this setback, 34-year-old Artan, who was named Male Referee of the Year for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has already received a new invitation: he will officiate the UEFA Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria.
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