Somali referee, Omar Artan, a World Cup match official who was recently denied entry into the United States over visa-related concerns, has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on August 12, ESPN reports.
The 34-year-old returned to Somalia after being refused entry into the U.S. when he arrived in Miami earlier this week to join World Cup referees preparing in the Florida city.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Artan’s removal was due to “vetting concerns,” while FIFA President Gianni Infantino urged critics to “chill and relax” when questioned about the governing body’s handling of the situation. Artan is widely regarded as Africa’s top referee.
ESPN also reported that officials had considered it “impractical” for Artan to be based in Mexico or Canada, the other World Cup host nations, because match officials are required to remain in Miami for training and briefings.
Despite the controversy, UEFA has now confirmed his appointment to oversee the Super Cup, the annual curtain-raiser between the Champions League and Europa League winners, which will be staged in Salzburg, Austria.
In an official statement, UEFA said: “Following discussions with its sister confederation, Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), UEFA has today appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, which will take place on 12 August in Salzburg between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa FC.
“Despite his young age, Artan has established himself as one of the world’s top referees and has been on the FIFA international list since 2018. Among the most notable matches he has officiated is the second leg of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League final. In recognition of his performances, he received the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025.
“The decision to appoint Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match has been made in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) recently signed between UEFA and CAF to encourage cooperation in many areas, including refereeing.
“UEFA and CAF are united by a shared commitment to developing football at all levels and promoting the core values of unity, equality and non-discrimination.”
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin added: “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.”
Artan’s appointment marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first African referee to take charge of a major UEFA final.
