FIFA has caved to pressure from a UK-led transparency campaign and paid a Somali referee the full fee for officiating at last year's World Cup in Qatar, sources confirm. The governing body had initially withheld a portion of the payment, citing administrative delays and a lack of a proper banking system in Somalia. But internal documents show that FIFA's real concern was reputational risk: they feared the money might flow into the hands of militant groups controlling large parts of the country.
The referee, who identified himself as a father of five, told this reporter that he had been forced to borrow money from relatives to cover basic expenses while waiting for the payment. 'I represented my country at the highest level and I was treated like a beggar,' he said. 'They promised to pay me in full, but then they said there were problems.'
The breakthrough came after a coalition of UK-based campaign groups, including Transparency International and Fair Football, launched a public pressure campaign. They published letters to FIFA president Gianni Infantino demanding clarity on the payments and highlighting the hypocrisy of a governing body that had just paid millions in bonuses to its own executives. The groups also leaked internal FIFA emails showing that the payment had been approved but was being delayed by 'risk assessment protocols'.
A FIFA spokesperson confirmed the payment but tried to downplay the controversy. 'We have processes in place to ensure that payments reach the right individuals, especially in countries with complex financial environments. We are pleased that the matter has been resolved.' But the documents tell a different story. They show that FIFA paid the referee less than half of the agreed fee in June, with the balance arriving only after the campaign groups went public.
The referee's bank account, opened with a mobile money provider, received the full amount of $75,000 last week. He says he will use the money to support his family and invest in a small business. 'I am grateful to those who spoke up for me. But why did it take so long?'
The case raises uncomfortable questions about FIFA's treatment of officials from developing nations. FIFA collects billions from World Cup broadcasting rights and sponsorship, but its payment systems remain opaque and inconsistent. Sources say that referees from wealthier nations are paid promptly through established bank accounts, while those from conflict zones face endless delays.
This is not the first time FIFA has been accused of discriminatory practices. Last year, a leaked audit revealed that the organisation had paid out millions in 'miscellaneous expenses' to executives while cutting budgets for grassroots football in Africa. The governing body has repeatedly promised reforms but has failed to deliver.
The UK's Minister for Sport, who asked not to be named, said the Foreign Office had been monitoring the case. 'We welcome FIFA's decision to do the right thing. But we need to see structural changes, not just one-off fixes.'
For the referee, the fight is over, but the battle for fairness continues. He has already received offers from other referees in similar situations. 'I will speak to them,' he said. 'We must stand together.'
FIFA's silence on the broader issue is deafening. The organisation that claims to represent the 'beautiful game' has once again shown that it values its own interests above those of the people who make it happen.
