FIFA to pay Somali referee denied US entry over alleged terror links full World Cup fee
Omar Artan was interrogated for 11 hours at Miami airport and sent back to Turkey after his diplomatic passport and visa were rejected. The governing body has now committed to paying his full tournament salary.
A Somali referee prevented from officiating at the 2026 World Cup in North America will still receive his full tournament fee from FIFA, according to BBC Sport sources. The decision follows an 11-hour detention and subsequent deportation of Omar Artan by US immigration authorities at Miami International Airport.
The detention and deportation
Artan, 34, arrived in Miami on Monday 8 June 2026 but was never permitted to enter the country. Border officials interrogated him for 11 hours before rejecting his diplomatic passport and single-entry US visa. A US government official told the BBC the refusal was based on an alleged "association with suspected members of terror organisations". Artan was then placed on a flight back to Turkey, where FIFA officials assisted him in Istanbul before he continued onward to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
- Artan is interrogated for 11 hours at Miami airport and deported to Turkey after his visa is rejected.
- FIFA officials assist Artan in Istanbul before he boards a flight to Mogadishu, Somalia.
- BBC Sport reports FIFA has committed to paying his full World Cup tournament fee.
- Artan is set to referee the UEFA Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria.
The allegations
During the interrogation, Artan was questioned specifically about his links to Al Shabaab, the Somali militant group designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States. The referee has consistently denied any connection to the group.
I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa. I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.
In Mogadishu, his return was met with a celebration, with local reports describing him being received as a hero.
FIFA's commitment to pay
While referees do not learn the exact sum of their tournament honorarium until after the competition concludes, BBC Sport revealed that FIFA has committed to paying Artan's salary. The payment will match what he would have received had he been able to fulfil his officiating duties at the tournament.
An immediate new appointment
Despite being blocked from the World Cup, Artan has already been selected for another high-profile fixture. UEFA named him as a referee for the 2024–25 UEFA Super Cup, which will be contested on 12 August 2026 in Salzburg, Austria, between Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa. Artan was also named the 2025 Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football.
I want to thank my people and my country. I will referee at the 2030 World Cup.
