🏆 Referee announced for 2026 #SuperCup!
We're pleased to share that Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the highly anticipated match between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg.
Somali referee Omar Artan was about to realise a dream of officiating at the World Cup, until he was denied entry to the United States.
It can take officials around 20 years from first blowing a whistle to being selected for international matches. You can become a brain surgeon in less time.
History suggests he might not get the chance again. and the refereeing community has nothing but sympathy for his situation.
📝 @Refsplaining
Free to read: https://t.co/2oM0YhMUxn
What has happened at the #2026WorldCup over the last 48 hours:
• Swiss footballer Embolo's visa was put under review and he was only able to join his team days later.
• Iraqi national team player Aymen Hussein was held for questioning for nearly 7 hours upon entering the United States.
• The Iranian national team spent days dealing with visa procedures at the U.S. Consulate in Türkiye. The U.S. only allowed them entry on match days. Fifteen members of the delegation were denied visas.
• Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named CAF's Best African Referee of 2025, was denied a visa. Despite travelling to the U.S. with a diplomatic passport, he was refused entry and sent back. FIFA announced that he will not be able to officiate at the tournament.
• The South African national team arrived in the United States much later than planned because part of the delegation was not granted visas.
• Members of the Senegal national team staff were forced to remove their shoes and subjected to lengthy searches, sparking accusations of racism.
• The Uzbekistan national team was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs and the footage went viral in international media.
• Some Scottish supporters, despite being eligible to enter the U.S. visa-free under the ESTA programme, had their travel authorisations revoked just days before departure.
• Many supporters who had already bought tickets and booked accommodation had their visa applications rejected, resulting in financial losses.
@Mjee5d فعلا كان المفروض يخلي اموره الشخصية داخل النادي وما يطلعها للإعلام خصوصا بعد ما انتقل العبيط كبر الموضوع والجمهور مو مقصرين فيه كل يوم يعيدون ويزيدون فيه تسفيل
ممكن من القلائل الي متحمس جدا لتوقيت مباريات هالنسخه من المونديال
الشي الحلو ان البرامج الرياضية في بي ان او في قنوات ثانية تقدر تاخذ حقها من البث وهي مرتاحه ساعات النهار كلها معهم وساعات الليل بتكون مباريات 🔥
@Cieliki بعيدا المشاكل هذي الله يقلعهم فعلا العالم متخوفه منهم انا متحمس لجو لطقوس كأس العالم للمباريات للبرامج للساحات للشاشة الي بترنع ع مدار الساعة البطولات المجمعه اعشقها يابو عابد خصوصا لو كانت على بي ان