Somali referee Omar Artan will be paid for his World Cup match assignments by FIFA after he was refused entry into the United States prior to the start of the tournament, sources told ESPN. Artan, recognized as Africa’s leading referee, returned to Somalia after being turned away from the U.S. on his arrival in Miami last week because of visa issues.

Visa issues and security concerns

A statement by U.S. Border and Customs Protection cited “vetting concerns” for the 34-year-old’s removal from the country. A nongovernmental representative of the U.S. administration told CNN that the security review at Miami airport had revealed “connections to alleged members of terrorist organizations.” Further details were not provided. Somalia is among the 39 countries affected by the tightened entry rules under former U.S. President Donald Trump. Citizens from these countries face additional checks upon entry.

Artan had expressed being “very. Very disappointed” after his entry was denied, and he stated he “had the right papers and everything else,” according to his comments to the New York Times. He described himself as “just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”

FIFA’s response and future plans

FIFA president Gianni Infantino told critics to “chill and relax” when asked about FIFA’s failure to intervene successfully on Artan’s behalf. Sources have said that Artan will be fully remunerated for his commitments at the World Cup. The exact figure has yet to be determined due to the number of games that Artan would have been assigned. Referees typically 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’s achievements and future

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.

After being refused entry to the World Cup, UEFA moved to appoint the official to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup, a preseason clash between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria, in August. Artan was put back on a plane to Turkey after being denied entry to the U.S. and received assistance from FIFA officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital Mogadishu.