Entry to the US was denied: Somali referee to be paid full World Cup fee

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who achieved a major success by becoming the first Somali referee to be appointed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will not have to worry about his salary following the obstacle he faced while entering the US. By FIFA's decision, referee Artan will receive the full fee he earned from the tournament.

While it is noted that FIFA generally makes payments to referees after the tournament, the upper limit for a referee, including bonuses, can reach 100 thousand dollars. Salary and bonus calculations are not shared with referees before the tournament begins.

US ENTRY CRISIS

The 34-year-old Artan was denied entry to the United States after being questioned for 11 hours by security officers at Miami Airport under "terrorism suspicion." Following this incident, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the situation as a "misfortune" in a press statement.

Although Artan could not fulfill his World Cup duty, he was recently named "referee of the year" for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Following his denial of entry to the US, he was honored with a new international assignment. The experienced referee will officiate the UEFA Süper Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, which will be played in Salzburg, Austria, on August 12.

News Source: 12punto