Wednesday August 12, 2026
Omar Artan’s denied World Cup opportunity has been followed by a major appointment: the Somali referee will oversee Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa.
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The 34-year-old was selected by FIFA for the tournament but never reached the field after US authorities refused him entry. Artan was stopped when he arrived at Miami International Airport shortly before the World Cup began in June, thrusting him unexpectedly into the international spotlight.
“It was a very tough period,” Artan said in an interview published on the UEFA website.
“A lot of people have sympathy for me, because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging.”
A US Department of State official told AFP that Artan was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations”, which meant he was “making the traveller ineligible for admission to the United States”.
Artan rejected the allegations, while the decision triggered anger in Somalia. Supporters there greeted him as a hero when he returned home.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the time, adding: “We don’t control everything.”
UEFA, European football’s governing body, subsequently offered Artan a prominent assignment: the Super Cup meeting between Champions League holders PSG and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
“I was lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here and I’m really proud,” Artan told UEFA.
“As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my dreams.”
Artan became the first Somali official to referee at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024. Wednesday’s fixture will mark his first match in Europe.
“Having adventures, making memories and learning new things is always great,” he added. “When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment.”
UEFA said Artan’s appointment reflected the cooperation agreement it signed with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at the end of April, designed to deepen ties between the two confederations.
The decision also carries a political dimension. UEFA has frequently clashed with FIFA, and the appointment comes amid a worsening dispute between the two organisations over the past two weeks surrounding a shelved proposal to bring private investors into the World Cup.
UEFA’s revolt played a major role in the plan’s collapse. The European body has continued to hold out the possibility of boycotting FIFA competitions, including the World Cups, as it seeks to pressure Infantino to resign.
