Somalian referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in August, just a few days after he was denied entry into the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old had been selected as part of the referees to officiate at the mundial and was set to become the first Somali man to officiate at the World Cup.
However, he was not allowed to enter the United States which ultimately ruled out his participation.
UEFA have now announced that the award-winning African referee will take charge of the 2026 UEFA Super Cup final match.
“Omar Artan is an excellent young but already experienced referee, who has proven himself at the highest competition level of the Confederation of African Football”, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said.
“Football is made to connect people, and Uefa wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination.
“I am grateful to my friend Caf president Patrice Motsepe for supporting enthusiastically our initiative.”
Meanwhile, CAF president Motsepe also added his voice to the situation, hailing the impact of Artan on the game.
“Omar Artan has made Somalia and the entire people of the African continent, extremely proud”, Motsepe said.
“His receipt of the CAF men’s referee of the year award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys. I am very thankful to my friend, Aleksander Čeferin for enabling Omar Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup 2026 match.
“This is a great honour for Omar Artan and for African referees and is also an excellent example of football, bringing together and uniting people from Africa and Europe and worldwide.”
The 2026 UEFA Super Cup match will hold on August 12 in Salzburg when Champions League winners PSG face off against Europa League champions Aston Villa.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
