Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:08am on 15 Jun 2026,Monday Sports
FIFA will pay Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan his full World Cup fee despite him being denied entry into the United States and missing the tournament. Artan, who was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, was stopped at Miami airport and declared "inadmissible due to vetting concerns" by US authorities. The 34-year-old was later sent back to Somalia, where he received a hero's welcome. FIFA said immigration decisions are made by host nations, but confirmed that Artan will still receive his full tournament payment. (PC: India Today)
