Somali Referee to Receive Full World Cup Salary Despite Being Dropped Over US Entry Denial

African referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will still get paid his full World Cup salary after all despite being dropped by FIFA.

The Somali referee was set to become the first match official from his country to ever officiate at the World Cup but this dream has been shattered.

Artan, who is Africa’s best referee, having been crowned 2025 Referee of the Year at the CAF Awards, was denied entry into the United States of America last week.

The 34-year-old had arrived in Miami, Florida ready to join his colleagues for final training ahead of the 2026 World Cup but he was turned back over what US immigration officials have described as ‘vetting concerns.’

Artan returned to Istanbul, hoping that the situation would be resolved and see him head back to the World Cup but with Somalia one of several nations impacted by travel restrictions implemented during the administration of US President Donald Trump, his fate was sealed when FIFA delivered the heartbreaking news.

That crushed his dream but there were also fears that he would miss the bumper pay that World Cup referees are set to earn. However, according to the BBC, FIFA will still pay Artan his full World Cup salary despite missing the tournament.

According to the UK’s Mirror, all centre referees at the 2026 World Cup are guaranteed a basic pay of $100,000 (Ksh12.9 million) for their participation in the six-week tournament, an increase on the $70,000 (Ksh9 million) that referees were reportedly paid during the 2022 World Cup.

That is what Artan is guaranteed but it is not clear if he will also be paid match bonuses for the games he was set to officiate.

In 2022, centre referees were getting paid $3,000 (Ksh388,050) per group stage match and $10,000 (Ksh1.3 million) per knockout stage game and this is likely to increase during the 2026 edition.