Somali Referee Omar Artan Set to Officiate Super Cup After Missing Out on World Cup Spot

Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed by Uefa to officiate the Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August in Salzburg, after he was denied entry to the United States and missed the opportunity to referee at the World Cup. Uefa said the decision was made after discussions with the Confederation of African Football, and president Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan as an experienced young referee who has already performed at the highest level in African competition. He added that football should connect people and said Uefa wanted to recognize Artan’s officiating quality, while thanking Caf president Patrice Motsepe for his support.

Artan, who won the 2025 Caf men’s referee of the year award and has been on Fifa’s international list since 2018, was set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup finals. However, he was turned away by border officials in Miami despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry U.S. visa. A U.S. government official later said he had been barred from entering the country because of an alleged association with suspected members of terror organizations. Somalia is among several countries affected by a travel ban introduced by President Donald Trump.

After speaking with U.S. authorities, Fifa said Artan would not take part in the tournament. Artan told the New York Times that he had been questioned about links to the Somali militant group Al Shabab and said he had no connection to the group. He said he had the correct documents and described the missed World Cup appearance as the biggest dream of his life.