Somalian referee Omar Artan will take charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Wednesday, completing a remarkable turnaround after he was denied the opportunity to officiate at the World Cup following his refusal of entry into the United States.
The 34-year-old referee was thrust into the international spotlight shortly before the World Cup began in June after he was turned away upon arrival at Miami International Airport, despite being among the referees selected by FIFA for the tournament.
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The incident ended his hopes of officiating at the global showpiece and sparked widespread debate.
“It was a very tough period,” Artan said in an interview published on the UEFA website.
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“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.”
A US State Department official subsequently told the press that Artan was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, making him “ineligible for admission to the United States”.
The allegations were rejected by the referee and triggered outrage in Somalia, where Artan was welcomed home as a hero following his return.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also expressed his disappointment over the incident at the time.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said, adding: “We don’t control everything.”
Now, just weeks after the controversy, UEFA has handed Artan a major assignment, appointing him to referee the Super Cup showdown between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
The appointment represents a remarkable opportunity for the Somali official, who will referee his first match in European football.
“I was lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here and I’m really proud,” Artan told UEFA.
“As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my dreams.”
Artan made history in 2024 when he became the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations.
He will now take another significant step in his career when he takes charge of the European season’s traditional curtain-raiser on Wednesday.
“Having adventures, making memories and learning new things is always great,” he added. “When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment.”
UEFA pointed to the cooperation agreement it signed with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at the end of April as part of the reasoning behind Artan’s appointment, with the deal designed to strengthen collaboration between the two confederations.
However, the decision also carries a wider political significance.
ALSO READ: Why America turned back FIFA World Cup referee Omar Artan
UEFA has frequently found itself at odds with FIFA, and Artan’s appointment comes amid an increasingly tense relationship between European football’s governing body and FIFA president Infantino.
The latest disagreement centres on the abandoned proposal to open up the World Cup to private investors.
The plan’s collapse was largely attributed to opposition led by UEFA, which has continued to wield the possibility of boycotting FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, as part of its efforts to pressure Infantino to leave office.
For Artan, however, the focus will be firmly on the pitch.
After missing out on the World Cup in circumstances beyond his control, the Somali referee now has the opportunity to officiate one of European football’s biggest annual fixtures; a remarkable chapter in a career that has already broken new ground.
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