Somali referee Omar Artan will receive his full World Cup fee from FIFA despite being barred from entering the United States and taking no part in the tournament, according to BBC Sport.

Artan was held at Miami International Airport for 11 hours on Monday before US immigration authorities told him he would not be permitted to enter the country. Officials cited an alleged association with suspected members of terror organisations as the reason for his rejection, after his diplomatic passport and single-entry US visa were both turned down.

Artan told reporters he had been questioned about links to Somali militant group Al Shabab, insisting he had no knowledge of the organisation. "I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," 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."

After being placed on a return flight to Turkey, Artan received support from FIFA officials in Istanbul before making his way home to the Somali capital Mogadishu. Sources told BBC Sport that FIFA has committed to paying his full salary even though he will play no role in the tournament. Referees are not informed of their exact fee until after the competition concludes.

A remarkable year for African football's top referee

The setback comes at the end of an extraordinary run of achievements for Artan. Named the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, the 34-year-old made history in 2025 by becoming the first Somali referee to take charge of a continental final.

In June 2025, he officiated the second leg of the African Champions League final, in which Pyramids FC defeated Mamelodi Sundowns to claim the title. FIFA also appointed him to the U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he handled three matches, including the third-place play-off. He further refereed two group-stage games at the Africa Cup of Nations, having already officiated at the 2024 edition of that tournament.

Despite the bitter disappointment of missing the World Cup, Artan has been invited to officiate the UEFA Super Cup between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria on 12 August — a fitting appointment for one of Africa's finest officials. Back home in Mogadishu, where he was welcomed warmly, Artan thanked "my people and my country" and vowed to reach the 2030 World Cup.