Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States of America to officiate FIFA World Cup matches, will receive full pay for the tournament by the governing body, reported Reuters on Monday, June 15.
Artan, widely considered as the best referee from Africa, arrived in Miami on a flight from Istanbul on June 6, where he was denied entry into the country by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said Artan was refused entry for what he described as a “very good reason”, but declined to offer further details.
Speaking to The New York Times later, Artan said he was held and questioned by US border officials at Miami airport for nearly 11 hours. According to Artan, the interview focused on the purpose of his visit to the United States and included questions about Somalia’s political situation and the al-Shabab militant group.
“During processing, the traveller underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in its statement. “Following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
The United States’ decision to deport Artan to Istanbul outraged football fans, who questioned FIFA’s credibility over its failure to protect one of its own employees. Several also criticised the move as excessive and difficult to justify, arguing that deporting a FIFA official despite reports that he was travelling on a diplomatic visa raised fresh concerns over how foreign delegations and tournament personnel are being treated during the World Cup.
Artan, 34, earned the 2025 Referee of the Year award from the Confederation of African Football. He had previously officiated in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. A year ago, he took charge of his first major continental final – Leg 2 of the 2025 CAF Champions League final between Egypt’s Pyramids FC and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on June 1.
In the aftermath of his denial of entry into the United States, UEFA selected him to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria.
ARTAN RETURNS HOME TO CHEERS
While Artan’s World Cup dream was cut short, his return to Somalia was marked by an outpouring of support.
When the referee landed at Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport on Wednesday, hundreds of fans, football officials and government representatives gathered to welcome him home. Supporters waved banners and chanted his name, turning what could have been a subdued return into a public display of solidarity and national pride.
Addressing those gathered at the airport, Artan struck a hopeful note despite the setback.
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said.
“I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
FIFA World Cup | FIFA World Cup Schedule | FIFA World Cup Points Table | Football News
– Ends
