&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Barred from FIFA World Cup 2026, Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate in UEFA Super Cup")
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry into the United States and subsequently removed from the FIFA World Cup officiating roster, has been appointed to referee the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, UEFA announced on Thursday (June 11). The appointment was confirmed just hours before the start of FIFA's flagship tournament and comes after discussions between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin praised the Somali official in a statement.
"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 Artan will officiate the UEFA Super Cup on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, featuring UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa.
According to UEFA, the appointment forms part of a cooperation agreement with CAF aimed at strengthening ties between the two football bodies. "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 said. CAF president Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the decision and praised Artan's achievements.
“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.
The Somali Ministry of Sports said it had worked with international sporting bodies after Artan's exclusion from the World Cup generated widespread concern. "We have been in contact with a range of sporting bodies since yesterday, especially in Europe, to raise awareness of the issue and request their support," senior advisor Ciise Aden Abshir told AFP. "UEFA's decision came in response to the support we requested, and we believe it has helped uphold the principles of integrity and fair play in football.
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"Officiating the UEFA Super Cup is a unique opportunity, and we are grateful to UEFA for its support."
Artan was denied entry to the United States upon arrival at Miami International Airport on Saturday. A US State Department official told AFP that the referee was "associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations", making him ineligible for admission. FIFA later confirmed that Artan would no longer be part of the World Cup officiating team.
His inclusion among the 52 referees selected for the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico had been celebrated across Somalia. After returning to Mogadishu on Wednesday, Artan received a hero's welcome and expressed his determination to officiate at the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
