Omar Artan: FIFA must never compromise universality of football - Blatter

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter stated that FIFA must uphold the core principles of World Cup host nations, including ensuring security and unrestricted entry for all qualified participants. He was commenting on the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the 2026 World Cup over alleged association with terror suspects. Blatter emphasized that FIFA must never compromise the universality of football. Subsequently, Artan was appointed by UEFA to officiate the 2026 Super Cup.