Somali referee Omar Artan embraces UEFA Super Cup opportunity after missing World Cup
By Joel Masibo, August 11, 2026Somali referee Omar Artan has described his appointment to officiate the UEFA Super Cup as a proud moment after being unable to take part in the 2026 World Cup because he was denied entry into the United States.
The 34-year-old will oversee the Wednesday, August 12, 2026 meeting between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League holders Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria.
Artan makes history
Artan’s appointment is historic, as he will become the first referee from outside Europe to take charge of the annual fixture between the winners of UEFA’s two major club competitions.
His selection came only days after he was prevented from officiating at the World Cup, following his refusal of entry at Miami International Airport in June.
Reflecting on his Super Cup appointment, Artan said the news had brought immense happiness to him and his family.
“When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment,” he said on Tuesday, August 10, 2026.
“There’s a big Somali community in Europe and in Austria and they are over the moon with me officiating a match like this.”
Artan had been scheduled to work at the 2026 World Cup but was turned away when he arrived in Miami on June 6, 2026. His case attracted considerable attention, with Fifa president Gianni Infantino saying he could not intervene in the US administration’s immigration decisions.
Somalia is among the countries included on a US travel-ban list introduced in 2025.
The experience was difficult for the referee, who said the reaction from people around the world helped him through the setback.
“It was a very tough period,” Artan said. “A lot of people have sympathy for me because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging. I really appreciate the support I received throughout the world, though; I’m so grateful.”
Artan’s commitment
Since then, Artan has remained active on the pitch, officiating matches in Somalia as well as games in the Kuwaiti Premier League as he prepared for his major European assignment.
He has also spent considerable time studying PSG and Aston Villa, focusing on their playing styles, tactical approaches and the behaviour of their players.
“We referees go through a lot of preparation in terms of getting to know the teams,” he said in an interview with Uefa. “I always watch the teams play. I like watching European football anyway but, regardless, I go through and do a lot of research on the teams, how they play, learn their behaviours, tactics.”
Artan will not be the only African official involved in the match. He will be joined by Djibouti’s Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed and Kenya’s Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe as his assistants.
The assignment gives Artan an opportunity to mark a significant milestone in his refereeing career after the disappointment of missing the World Cup.