Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, days after he was denied the opportunity to participate in the FIFA World Cup in the United States.
UEFA announced on Thursday that Artan will take charge of the season-opening European showpiece between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria, on 12 August.
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The appointment comes after consultations between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is being viewed as a significant recognition of Artan’s standing among the world’s leading match officials.
Artan, who has been on FIFA’s international list since 2018, was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 after a series of impressive performances on the continent. Among the most notable matches he has officiated was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final.
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The Somali referee had also earned a place among the 52 officials selected by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. However, his participation was cut short after US authorities denied him entry into the country.
Artan had travelled to Miami for a pre-World Cup training camp when he was stopped by immigration officials and later deported.
According to a report by The Athletic, the White House said the decision followed additional screening by border officials upon his arrival.
A senior administration official told The Athletic: “Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
“The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA. President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country — full stop.”
Artan, however, maintained that he had complied with all travel requirements. Speaking to The New York Times, he said he “had the right papers” and “the right visa” before travelling to the United States.
The referee was reportedly questioned for more than 11 hours at Miami International Airport before being returned to Istanbul, Turkey, where his journey had begun.
The incident sparked international attention and diplomatic concern in Somalia, whose government described Artan as “Somalia’s most accomplished sporting figure and a source of immense national pride.”
Now, UEFA has offered the highly-rated official another major platform.
READ ALSO: FIFA confirms Somali referee Omar Artan will miss World Cup after US entry denial
The European football governing body said the appointment was made under the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between UEFA and CAF to strengthen cooperation in several areas, including refereeing.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised Artan’s credentials and described the decision as a demonstration of football’s unifying power.
He said: “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. 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.”
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the move.
He said: “Omar Artan has made Somalia and the entire people of the African Continent, extremely proud. 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.”
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