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FIFA Told to Pay Omar Artan £75,000 After World Cup Ban

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The 2026 World Cup is just days away, and for the officials selected to referee it, the honour of being chosen represents the pinnacle of a career.

Officials this year are set for the biggest single payday of their careers, but for Omar Artan, that dream has been snatched away before he could blow the whistle once.

The Somali referee was set to make history as the first official from his country to referee at a World Cup, a huge achievement for a man who navigated genuine danger and instability just to reach local stadiums in his homeland.

He’d already broken barriers at the Africa Cup of Nations and overseen a CAF Champions League final. The World Cup was the next step. Instead, he was refused entry into the United States upon arrival in Miami, with FIFA confirming they wouldn’t intervene.

Despite Artan being a FIFA-approved referee, Somalia is among the countries on the US travel ban list, and that, apparently, was that.

Furious Reaction as Referee is Denied World Cup Entry

Barred 2026 World Cup Referee Omar Artan Speaks Out as FIFA Issue Statement

The response from within football has been one of near-universal dismay. Former referee Christina Unkel, who is set to work as a pundit at the tournament, described the news as making her “incredibly sick”. Summing it all up by saying:

“It’s not a World Cup if you don’t allow the world to come in.”

Ian Wright was equally forceful, pointing to a pattern of fans, players, journalists and officials being denied entry and questioning whether this is how the hosts of the greatest tournament in football should be behaving.

He reserved particular sympathy for American fans, arguing they deserved better than the chaos surrounding their own World Cup.

Former PGMOL Boss Says FIFA Must Pay Up

Gianni Infantino looks on during a 2025 AFCON Africa Cup of Nations game, South Africa vs Cameroon

Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has gone further still on X.

Hackett was responding to a post from MP Jeremy Corbyn, who summed the situation up as “racism, plain and simple”. Hackett argued that FIFA, having failed to support Artan’s case, now has a financial obligation to pay the man they let down. Here’s what he had to say:

The retired official also claimed the governing body should be forced to pay Artan the £74,630 he will now be denied after his admission to the US was blocked. Heckett told Football Insider:

“This appears to be so unfair, depriving a young referee of the opportunity to officiate at a World Cup. The pathway to the top is incredibly difficult, and this referee has developed a career that has seen him meet the challenges and rise to the elite level.

“I am sure that his family and federation will be so disappointed. Referees expected to earn in the region of $100,000 (£74,630). So, I hope that FIFA, who have failed in supporting his case, will make a discretionary payment of $100,000 to him and his family.”

Referees at the tournament were set to earn in the region of $100,000, and Hackett’s position is that FIFA should make a discretionary payment of exactly that figure.

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Man Utd Green Light £100m Transfer Spend

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Manchester United are ready to sanction two more midfield signings, even after they have confirmed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta.

Ederson looks set to be Michael Carrick’s first new signing as permanent manager at Old Trafford, with a £38million deal agreed bar the official confirmation.

United have always been in the market for more than one central midfielder this summer, though, and it is being reported that the Red Devils are ready to green light deals for two more signings in that department.

Anderson transfer looks like a no-go

Elliot Anderson in England training Jim Rassol/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

With a move to sign Elliot Anderson, who had been the club’s number one transfer priority in the summer window, likely to be off, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the United hierarchy unwilling to enter into a bidding war and pay over the odds for the 23-year-old England international, attention will turn back to some of their other targets.

They have been linked with the likes of Mateus Fernandes, Carlos Baleba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Sandro Tonali and Alex Scott so far this summer and according to the Sun, two more of those players could arrive at Old Trafford before the summer transfer window closes.

Fernandes is the name in the frame at the moment, although West Ham appear unwilling to budge on their £80million valuation of the Portuguese, despite their relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season.

The Hammers will hope to start a bidding war for the 21-year-old with Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain also credited with an interest.

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Having dropped out of the race for Anderson for those very reasons, United may be forced to move on to other opportunities. Bournemouth are also demanding £80million for Alex Scott, while GIVEMESPORT understands that Brighton will not entertain any offers below the £70million mark for Baleba. Tonali, meanwhile, is likely to command a £100million fee from Newcastle United.

United still have £100m to spend on midfielders

Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick claps the fans

With Ederson all but through the door, United will definitely be looking for one more midfielder and they will give the green light to a second midfielder signing if Manuel Ugarte follows Casemiro out of the club.

The Uruguayan is not in Carrick’s plans heading into the 2026/27 season and United will listen to offers for the 25-year-old this summer.

If that was to be the case, United would distribute the £100million they have earmarked for a midfielder signing across two separate deals to follow Ederson to Old Trafford.


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Arteta’s Dream Arsenal Left-Winger Target is a €100m ‘Alien’

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Mikel Arteta is said to be dreaming of a specific left-winger transfer that would be one of the biggest signings of the summer transfer window. Arsenal do not have too many needs this summer, given they won the Premier League title and came within a few kicks of a first-ever Champions League title.

Arsenal have put together an incredibly strong squad, and last summer’s focus on recruiting depth has set them up nicely for years to come. Naturally, players are always going to leave, especially those who are not playing regularly, and Arsenal will have to replace such players, but the decisions over where to upgrade are far less obvious.

The left-winger spot has been a concern for Arteta, though, and another striker may well be snapped up in anticipation of Gabriel Jesus departing.

Arteta’s dream left-winger target

Kenan Yildiz

According to a fresh report from Sacha Tavolieri, Juventus superstar in the making Kenan Yildiz is a player Arteta dreams of signing. The 21-year-old winger has established himself as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in world football, and he was heavily linked with a Premier League or LaLiga move prior to signing a new contract with Juventus earlier this year.

That contract means a deal now would likely cost huge money, but the Gunners do have the capacity to pull off more significant spending this summer.

Tavolieri wrote on X: “Mikel Arteta considers Kenan Yildiz has a dream target! Nothing advanced yet with World Cup ongoing, but Arsenal wants to sign a key player at the left winger position and has a plan for the Turkish. Gunners would be ready to spend around €100M for Yildiz. Christos Tzolis considered as alternative option, as @David_Ornstein called.”

Yildiz’s rapid rise

Kenan Yildiz Kemal Aslan via Reuters

Yildiz, described as a phenomenon by Guiseppe Rossi, scored 11 and assisted 10 times for Juventus in what was a difficult season for the Old Lady. Despite his youth, he has already become one of the club’s most important players, and he is able to play across the front line, although his best position is on the left.

Speaking about the forward earlier this season, Juve boss Luciano Spalletti said: “Yildiz played as the striker and scored. He’s an alien, not a normal footballer. Every now and then he does something wrong just to see if he can fit into normality, but he can’t. He simply can’t become a normal footballer.”

It’s that sort of talent that saw many of the world’s biggest clubs circle Yildiz before that new contract was signed. The new deal means Juventus are likely to play hardball over any deal, with the Italian giants well aware that they have a superstar in the making. Yildiz is currently with Türkiye at the World Cup.


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54-Year-Old Manager in Line to Replace Rohl at Rangers

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Rangers already appear to have a prime managerial target amid the possibility of Danny Rohl being lured away this summer. Rohl has only been at Ibrox since October, but despite overseeing a title collapse during the season just gone, the German is being linked with a new job.

Rangers have thrown their weight behind Rohl, despite a disappointing end to the campaign, but Austrian club RB Salzburg are hoping to turn his head. Salzburg decided not to extend Daniel Belchler’s short deal, and they are now said to be in talks with the Gers over the appointing of Rohl.

Rangers identify replacement

Hearts manager Derek McInnes looks on via Reuters

According to The Sun’s journalist Robert Grieve, who also broke the Lawrence Shankland to Rangers transfer a few weeks ago, there is no deal involving Rohl in place as things stand. The Scottish giants are demanding a multi-million compensation package, insisting there will be no movement until that is agreed to.

Rohl is under contract until the summer of 2028, so Rangers are well within their rights to demand that compensation, and such money will help them source a replacement that will also likely command compensation.

And that will indeed be the case if Rangers go after Hearts boss Derek McInnes, who will be the prime target should Rohl leave, according to the report.

The former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock boss has been with his current club since May of last year, and in his first full season, he guided Hearts to within less than one game from winning the Premiership title. Hearts were ultimately beaten by Celtic on the final day to lose out, having held the Bhoys at bay for an extended run.

The latest on Rohl to Salzburg talks

Rangers manager Danny Rohl smiles via Reuters

Whether Rangers advance their McInnes interest will be totally dependent on what happens with Rohl, but an exit seems likely at this stage. Rohl has previously worked for Red Bull, serving as one of the RB Leipzig coaches, and he has reportedly been pitched to Red Bull group by Jurgen Klopp, who is head of global soccer with the company.

Gers chiefs Andrew Cavenagh and Jim Gillsespie are currently in Boston on a club event, and they are said to have met Salzburg advances with the demand for the aforementioned compensation.

Ironically, Rohl was set to take Rangers on a pre-season tour of Austria this summer, but if Salzburg do end up appointing him, he may be headed to Austria on a separate plane to his current team.


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