Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been scheduled to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to the United States, was greeted upon arrival at Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia on June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the United States to referee World Cup games, will receive full payment from FIFA for the tournament, according to Reuters. Artan arrived in Miami on a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, on June 6, but was denied entry into the country by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In a note, the American body explained the decision. "Following inspection, the traveler, a FIFA World Cup referee, was deemed inadmissible due to background check concerns and was denied entry," the statement said. Upon returning to Somalia, he was received as a hero. At 34, Artan was named 2025 Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The Somali has already refereed in two editions of the African Cup of Nations. A year ago, on June 1st, he took charge of his first major continental final: the return game of the African Champions League decider, between Pyramids FC (Egypt) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), in Cairo. After the veto in the United States, UEFA, the entity that governs European football, selected the referee to referee the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. The game will be played on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria. After being prevented from entering the USA, Somali referee is invited to referee the European Super Cup