A US State Department official told AFP that Orton was ineligible to enter the US because of his ”association with suspected members of a terrorist organisation”. FIFA then announced that he had been banned from the World Cup.
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Somali referee Omar Orton, who was denied entry to the United States after being denied entry to the World Cup, will officiate the UEFA Super Cup. European football's governing body (UEFA) announced this on Thursday. He was denied entry to the United States by immigration upon arrival at Miami Airport.
The UEFA Super Cup is being held in Salzburg, Austria, between European Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa. UEFA has announced that Somali referee Orton has been given the role of referee in it.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin praised Somali referee Orton and assigned him the responsibility just before the start of the World Cup. "Omar Orton is a brilliant young man, but he is an experienced referee who has proven himself at CAF, the highest competition in African football," Ceferin said. "Football is meant to bring people together, and UEFA respects Omar and his exceptional skills, which have brought him to such a prestigious position."
The FIFA World Cup has been marred by controversy over several incidents, including Orton's. Uefa said Orton's appointment was a measure of the agreement to promote cooperation between Uefa and the Confederation of African Football (Caf). "UEFA and Caf are linked by a shared commitment to developing football at all levels and promoting the values of unity, equality and non-discrimination," the statement said.
Caf president Patrice Motsepe said Orton had made the people of Somalia and the African continent very proud. Motsepe said, “He won the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year award in 2025, his nomination for the World Cup is a testament to his world-class refereeing ability and international respect.”
A US State Department official told AFP that Orton was ineligible to enter the US because of his “suspected association with a terrorist organisation”. FIFA then announced that he had been withdrawn from the World Cup.
He was one of 52 referees selected to officiate at the World Cup. He was given a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu on Wednesday after being flown back from Miami. He said his goal now was to officiate at the 2030 World Cup.
