Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.
Artan was interrogated for 11 hours by US immigration authorities at Miami International Airport on Monday before being told he would not be allowed into the country after his diplomatic passport and single entry US visa were rejected.
A US government official said Artan had not been allowed to enter the country because of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations”.
Artan said he had been questioned by border officials over his links to Somali militant group Al Shabab and had told them he knew nothing about the organisation.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” said Artan.
“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.”
After being put back on a plane to Turkey, Artan received assistance from Fifa officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Sources told BBC Sport that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, Fifa has committed to paying his salary.
Referees do not know the actual fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup, which is paid after the tournament is over.
Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (Caf) men’s referee of the year, has since been invited to officiate the Uefa Super Cup between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria on 12 August.
The 34-year-old, who thanked “my people and my country” after being welcomed in his homeland, has vowed to officiate at the 2030 World Cup.
Artan had a year to remember in 2025, becoming the first Somali to take charge of a continental final.
In June 2025, he officiated the second leg of Pyramids FC’s African Champions League final victory over Mamelodi Sundowns.
Fifa appointed Artan to the U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he took charge of three matches including the third-place play-off.
At the end of the year he refereed two group games at the Africa Cup of Nations, having also officiated at the tournament in 2024.
By BBC Sports
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