ไทย
English
中國人
Referee Omar Artan continues to make news after reports emerged that FIFA plans to pay the Somali official his full fee, following his denial of entry into the United States which cost him the opportunity to officiate at the World Cup.
Artan would likely have preferred to simply move forward. The 34-year-old had been set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup, having gone through a rigorous FIFA selection process that spanned roughly three years.
However, upon landing in Miami on a flight from Istanbul in the days leading up to the World Cup, Artan—named Africa's best referee of 2025—was turned away by Customs and Border Protection after additional screening. Despite difficulties obtaining a standard visa due to Somalia's inclusion on the Trump administration's travel ban list, Artan had secured a diplomatic passport as an alternative. This should have been sufficient for entry, but it later came to light that CBP claimed the referee had connections to a terrorist organization, allegations he denied any awareness of during questioning.
Artan was greeted as a hero upon returning to the Somali capital of Mogadishu and has since been assigned by UEFA to officiate the 2026 Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in August—"UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills."
BBC Sport first reported that FIFA has "committed to paying his salary"—meaning the earnings he would have received from working the tournament—in full. ESPN subsequently noted that Artan will be compensated for his "match assignments," indicating the specific games he had been scheduled to officiate.
How Much Do World Cup Referees Get Paid?
Payments are only disbursed once the tournament concludes, and earnings can vary between referees depending on the number of matches they are involved in.
At the 2022 World Cup, the base rate was reportedly $70,000. Officials could then earn an additional $5,000 per match, with the precise amount varying based on their role and the stage of the competition. For this year's tournament, the base fee is rumored to start at $100,000, reportedly around double what referees received at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Retired Premier League referee Mark Clattenberg recently discussed on an episode of the Whistleblowers podcast that "daily allowances" are also provided to cover basic living costs. He noted that UEFA European Championship tournaments operate differently, with compensation structured around individual matches rather than a flat fee supplemented by game bonuses.
