How Much Africa’s Top Referee Lost After Being Denied Entry Into US for FIFA World Cup Revealed
- Omar Artan was set to make history at the FIFA World Cup before being denied entry into the United States
- The Somali official reportedly travelled with a valid visa and diplomatic passport but was still turned away
- Missing the tournament has also cost the respected referee a substantial financial reward
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Source: Getty Images
Africa's top referee, Omar Artan, has suffered a major financial setback after being denied entry to the United States and ruled out of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The CAF Referee of the Year is set to miss out on approximately US$100,000 (about R1.65 million) that match officials selected for the tournament are expected to earn.
Omar Artan loses World Cup earnings
The financial impact of Artan's absence has now emerged after reports published on 8 June revealed that referees selected for the FIFA World Cup are expected to earn around US$100,000 (about R1.65 million) for the tournament. Officials will also receive additional bonuses if they are retained for the knockout stages and final.
Artan was among 52 referees selected by FIFA for the competition, which runs from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Speaking to The New York Times, Artan expressed his disappointment after being denied entry.
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"I am very, very disappointed," he said.
"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."
Artan also insisted that he had complied with all travel requirements.
"I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," he said.
Diplomatic passport and visa not enough
BBC Sport reported that Artan underwent an 11-hour immigration interview at Miami International Airport before being detained for several more hours and placed on a return flight to Istanbul.
A Somali embassy official told the BBC that Artan had been issued with a diplomatic passport specifically to help ease his travel after earlier visa difficulties.
No official reason has been publicly provided for the decision. FIFA later confirmed that Artan would not participate in the tournament.
"FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States," the organisation said.
Source: Getty Images
Somalia and football community react
Somalia's Ministry of Sports said it deeply regretted the outcome despite diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter. Former Somalia captain Ciise Aden Abshir said:
"Omar Artan is among Africa's most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community."
Artan, who was named CAF Men's Referee of the Year in 2025, remained upbeat despite the setback.
"I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," he said.
Artan's exclusion from the World Cup has cost him the opportunity to make history and potentially earn around US$100,000 (R1.65 million). Despite the disappointment, the award-winning referee says he remains focused on the next chapter of his career.
World Cup visa chaos deepens ahead of tournament
Briefly News also reported that Iran's national football team claimed it had been told it cannot stay overnight in the United States during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite all three of its group-stage matches being scheduled there.
Iranian officials said the team must enter and leave US territory on match days and has instead established its tournament base in Tijuana, Mexico.
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Source: Briefly News
