World Cup 2026: Norway criticizes Scotland, Somali referee denied entry

Norway labeled Scotland as "unprofessional" following the cancellation of a planned friendly match. The Scottish Football Association (SFA) defended their decision after Norway's head coach Stale Solbakken expressed frustration about the situation, particularly after Norway’s recent 1-1 draw against Morocco, which is also in Scotland's Group C.

Both teams were based in North Carolina for the World Cup 2026 and had arranged a closed-doors friendly at Scotland's training ground in Charlotte, scheduled for Monday. However, the Norwegian Football Federation announced the cancellation on Sunday due to injuries in the Scotland squad. A representative from the SFA explained that the training game had been organized between team managers, not head coaches, and when it became clear that additional risks from injuries outweighed the benefits, they promptly notified Norway's management.

In other football news, renowned Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to become the first from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup, was denied entry into the United States at Miami International Airport. Although the reason for this denial has not been clarified, it was noted that Somalia is included in the travel ban list established during President Donald Trump's administration. Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior advisor to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, emphasized Artan’s reputation as one of Africa's leading referees and called for support from the global football community.

Christian Eriksen, meanwhile, returned home after collapsing during a friendly match against Ukraine the previous Sunday. He reported that this incident was distinctly different from his prior cardiac arrest experience during a match against Finland in 2021. Other notable developments included Newcastle reaching an agreement for goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, and Divock Origi announcing his retirement from football at the age of 31. Additionally, Everton's Vitalii Mykolenko extended his contract for another three years, and a Palestinian player was released by Israeli authorities after a period of detention.