World Cup referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States, just three days before the tournament is set to begin. The Somali official was poised to become the first-ever referee from his country to take charge of a match at a Fifa World Cup.
Artan, 34, was named the best African referee for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He reportedly encountered difficulties securing a visa but benefited from support from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, which enabled him to obtain a diplomatic passport.
He travelled from Kenya through Turkey to Miami, after FIFA confirmed last week that his visa situation had been “fully resolved” and that he would be available to officiate at the tournament. Denied entry to the US, he has now returned to Istanbul.
The Somali is one of eight referees from CAF selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup. There are also eight from the AFC, nine from Concacaf, one from the OFC, 12 from Conmebol, and 15 from Uefa. Those from Uefa countries include Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final, as well as England’s Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver. In total, 170 referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees will take charge of the record 104 matches across the three host nations.
It currently remains unclear what will happen if Artan is not permitted entry in time for the tournament. The Somali FA and FIFA have been contacted for comment.
The US travel ban has already caused issues for some players expected to feature in the World Cup. Despite not qualifying for the tournament, Somalia features on the travel ban list. Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was initially barred from flying to the country due to travel issues related to a 2018 court ruling; he was convicted in 2023 of making multiple threats and handed a suspended fine. Those issues have since been resolved, and he has arrived in San Diego.
Iran have been forced to change their plans for the tournament and will now be based in Mexico. The squad will only be allowed into the US on matchdays and must leave on the same day.
Spanish Club UD Almería have announced that they will donate all ticket sales revenue from their home match against CD Tenerife to support the family of Jesús de Miguel.
The initiative was established by club president Mohammed Al Khereiji as the Spanish club seeks to provide financial assistance to the bereaved family following their loss.
Announcing the decision, the club expressed its sympathy and acknowledged that no amount of financial assistance could make up for the loss of a loved one.
As reported by ESPN on Wednesday, the club was quoted as saying, “We are fully aware that nothing can ever compensate for the loss of a loved one, and that no form of support, whether financial or emotional, can ease the pain caused by a tragedy of this kind.”
Despite recognising the limitations of the gesture, UD Almería hope that donating the entire proceeds from the match will provide some support to Jesús de Miguel’s family during this difficult period.
The initiative comes under the leadership of Al Khereiji, who is the club’s president.
It also puts the spotlight on UD Almería’s ownership, with Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo having acquired a 25 per cent stake in the Spanish club earlier this year.
Borussia Dortmund’s 8-4 victory over Legia Warszawa remains the highest-scoring match in UEFA Champions League history, while Como’s 9-1 demolition of Lens has joined the competition’s list of most prolific encounters.
The Dortmund-Legia encounter produced 12 goals during the 2016/17 group stage, with the German side emerging victorious in a remarkable contest.
According to the UEFA website on Wednesday, the match featured five goals in the opening 32 minutes, including a spell in which three goals were scored within four minutes.
Aleksandar Prijović gave Legia a 10th-minute lead, but Shinji Kagawa scored twice in quick succession to put Dortmund ahead.
Marco Reus also registered a brace, while three goals were scored in the closing 10 minutes to complete the 8-4 result.
Como’s 9-1 victory away to Lens on November 4, 2026, also entered the record books, with the 10-goal encounter ranking among the highest-scoring matches in the competition.
Bayern Munich’s 9-2 victory over GNK Dinamo in September 2024 and Monaco’s 8-3 win against Deportivo La Coruña in November 2003 are other notable entries on the list.
Barcelona’s 8-2 defeat of Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 campaign also features among the highest-scoring Champions League matches.
Bayern thrash Barca 8-2
Full list of highest-scoring Champions League matches
• Borussia Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warszawa — November 22, 2016 (12 goals)
Como have joined Liverpool and Real Madrid in recording the biggest winning margin in UEFA Champions League history after thrashing Lens 9-1 in their Matchday 4 encounter on Tuesday night.
The Italian side’s nine-goal haul secured an eight-goal victory margin, equalling Liverpool’s 8-0 defeat of Beşiktaş in 2007 and Real Madrid’s 8-0 triumph over Malmö in 2015.
According to the UEFA website on Wednesday, Como also became only the second team after Bayern Munich to score nine goals in a Champions League match.
Tasos Douvikas scored a hat-trick in the encounter, while six other Como players also found the net as the competition debutants recorded the biggest away victory in the tournament’s history.
Liverpool were the first team to achieve an eight-goal winning margin when they defeated Beşiktaş 8-0 during the 2007/08 group stage.
Crouch scores two joining Yossi Benayoun who scored hatrick. Ryan Babel also netted a brace and captain Steven Gerrard scored the eight goal
Yossi Benayoun scored three goals, while Ryan Babel and Peter Crouch each contributed two. Steven Gerrard completed the scoring as Liverpool secured the record victory despite having collected just one point from their opening three group matches.
Real Madrid matched the feat on December 8, 2015, when they overwhelmed Malmö 8-0 at home.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals, setting what was then an individual group-stage record of 11 goals, while Karim Benzema registered a hat-trick.
Ronaldo nets four in Malmö thrashing
Bayern Munich also feature prominently in the record books after defeating GNK Dinamo 9-2 on September 17, 2024, establishing a new record for the most goals scored by a team in a single Champions League match.
Harry Kane scored four goals in the encounter, while Michael Olise added two.
