Omar Artan spent over 11 hours being interrogated at Miami International Airport, was locked in a holding cell, deported to Istanbul, and sent home to Somalia without officiating a single minute of the World Cup. FIFA's response: he gets paid anyway.
The governing body confirmed this week that Artan, 34, will receive his full tournament fee at the conclusion of the competition — the same as every other match official — despite being barred from the United States by immigration authorities who claimed he had "association with suspected members of terror organizations."
Artan told the New York Times he arrived with "the right papers" and "the right visa," along with FIFA accreditation as a match official. None of it mattered. He was gone within hours.
A hero's return, and then UEFA calls
When Artan landed back in Somalia, crowds turned out to greet him. Whatever the Trump administration's border officials thought they were doing, they handed him a moment of national recognition that no World Cup appearance could have manufactured.
UEFA moved fast. On Thursday, they announced Artan would referee the Super Cup on August 12 between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said the decision was about showing "respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills." That fixture just got a lot more politically loaded than a standard season opener usually is.
Artan had been named the 2025 CAF men's referee of the year and was set to become the first Somali official to work a World Cup. That distinction is gone now — but the Super Cup appointment suggests European football at least intends to make some kind of statement.
Infantino's response leaves something to be desired
FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the situation "unfortunate" at a pre-tournament press conference, before advising everyone to "chill, relax" rather than "immediately start screaming and shouting." Not exactly the full-throated defense of one of your selected officials you might hope for.
"We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces," Infantino said. True enough. But paying Artan his fee while shrugging at the circumstances doesn't really resolve the question of what FIFA's accreditation is actually worth if a host government can override it at the gate with no consequence.
The exact fee referees receive for the tournament hasn't been confirmed publicly. Whatever the number is, it doesn't cover what Artan was supposed to do here.
