Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.
The Trump administration cited his “links to ‘suspected members of terror organizations’” as the reason for denying his entry.
Despite being turned away by US Customs and Border Protection, Fifa has committed to paying Artan’s salary, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Artan, who was named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was poised to make history as the first Somali to officiate at the global showpiece.
Upon his return home to Mogadishu, Artan was met with a hero’s welcome as he expressed gratitude to the Somali government, its people, and FIFA for their support.
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he declared to hundreds of flag-waving supporters.
“I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
The decision to block Artan from entering the US sparked international outrage, with Fifa president Gianni Infantino then addressing the situation at a press conference prior to the World Cup getting underway on Wednesday.
When asked for his response to Artan having his World Cup dream taken away from him, Infantino urged people to “chill, relax”, as he insisted that Fifa is constantly working on solving every issue that the competition has faced.
