Barred World Cup referee Artan loses up to £325,000 after US entry denial

Omar Artan, who would have made history as the first Somali referee at a FIFA World Cup, has been stripped of his place at the 2026 tournament after being denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport last weekend — a decision that has cost him a potential payday of up to £325,000.

FIFA confirmed Artan’s removal from its list of officials following the incident, stating it was “not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications” and had been told by US authorities that “Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present.” The governing body added that, in line with previous tournaments, “a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”

Referees at the expanded 48-team World Cup are set to earn £75,000 for the group stage, with additional payments for knockout matches pushing the potential earnings for the final’s referee to £325,000, according to The Times. Artan, who has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations, was on course for one of the most lucrative assignments of his career before being turned away despite holding valid travel documents.

Artan responded to his exclusion with a measured statement to Reuters: “Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career. I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future.”

He added: “I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup. I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”

Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior advisor to Somalia’s ministry of youth and sports and a former national team captain, condemned the decision in a statement to AFP: “Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches not only harms him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit and the spirit of fair play.”

Somalia is among several countries whose citizens are subject to a US travel ban implemented in June last year. Iran is also on that list, and the Iranian national team — based in Mexico for the tournament — faces its own access difficulties. While all Iranian players have been granted the required visas, the team reports that 12 members of its support staff have been denied entry to the US ahead of their group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle.

The episode has intensified scrutiny of the tournament’s organisation and the United States’ role as host, with the controversy over Artan’s exclusion adding to a series of off-field disputes that have overshadowed the build-up to the competition.