MIAMI: Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will be paid his full tournament fee.

The Trump administration said the United States had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to “suspected members of terror organizations”.

A source familiar with the matter said even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, FIFA has committed to paying his salary.

Artan, Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was set to become the first Somali to officiate at football’s global showpiece, but was turned back by US Customs and Border Protection.

However, he returned home to a hero’s welcome while European football body UEFA appointed him to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St Germain and Aston Villa in August.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2026