A Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States (U.S) to officiate at the 2026, World Cup, has been officially named as the match referee for the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa.
The UEFA Super Cup is a contest between PSG, who won the Champions League last term, and Aston Villa, who triumphed in the Europa League.
The match is scheduled to take place on 12 August in Salzburg.
The appointment of Omar Artan as the match referee of the Super Cup was made known in a statement issued by European football’s governing body.
UEFA said that the decision had been taken after discussions with the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “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 have earned him such a prestigious nomination.
“I am grateful to my friend Caf president Patrice Motsepe for supporting our initiative enthusiastically.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Omar Artan, the 2025 Caf men’s referee of the year, who has been on Fifa’s international list since 2018, was set to be the first Somali to referee at the 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.
Speaking with the press, the Somalian referee claimed that he was denied entry due to his nationality.
He said the U.S has a ‘problem’ with his country.
Artan said, “I think that they have a problem with my country,” adding that he would return to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday. He said that he had been preparing for the World Cup for four years, taking courses with FIFA in Qatar and in the United Arab Emirates.
“I am very, very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup,” he added.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a U.S government official said Artan had not been allowed to enter the country because of his “association with suspected members of terror organisations”, though the official failed to provide proof.
“President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country — full stop,” a Trump administration official told the press.
Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by United States President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Artan got a hero’s welcome returning to Somalia on, days after he was refused entry in Miami by U.S authorities despite being picked by FIFA for World Cup duty.
