Somali referee banned by US to officiate European Super Cup, UEFA says

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, has been named to officiate UEFA’s Super Cup, European football’s governing body announced.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin poured praise on the Somali referee in a statement released on Thursday, a few hours before global body FIFA’s flagship World Cup kicks off.

“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,” said Ceferin.

“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.”

UEFA said that after talks with the African confederation, it “has today appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup” on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa.

Artan’s case has been one of many incidents to taint the run-up to FIFA’s World Cup.

UEFA said Artan’s appointment came in the framework of an accord between UEFA and CAF to encourage cooperation.

“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,” it said.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said Artan had “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.”

His appointment to referee the Super Cup “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”, Motsepe said.

Artan was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.

A US State Department official told the AFP news agency that the referee was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations”, therefore “making the traveller ineligible for admission to the United States”.

FIFA also confirmed that he would no longer be part of the World Cup.

Artan’s appointment to the 52-strong roster of referees for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the US had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots.

He returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu on Wednesday and pledged to take part in the next World Cup in 2030.