The Somali referee who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup will still be paid his full tournament fee. A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Omar Artan will still be entitled to payment despite not officiating any games at the near six-week long event. The […]
Omar Artan
Top African referee Omar Artan to officiate 2026 UEFA Super Cup after being unable to participate in FIFA World Cup 2026.
34-year-old Artan has been on the FIFA international list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 Following discussions with its sister confederation, Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), UEFA has today appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, which will take place on 12 August […]
US denies entry to Somali referee ahead of World Cup
The United States has denied entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had arrived in Miami to take part in preparations for the FIFA World Cup, according to US Customs and Border Protection and FIFA officials. Artan reportedly landed at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday but was deemed inadmissible following what authorities […]