By Adesakin Adefemi
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, has been named by UEFA to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, the European football governing body announced on Thursday.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan as an excellent young referee with experience at the highest level of Confederation of African Football competitions. Ceferin said football connects people and that UEFA wanted to show respect for Artan’s officiating skills.
After consultations with CAF, UEFA said it had appointed Artan to handle the August 12 Super Cup in Salzburg, Austria, between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
The appointment comes under a cooperation agreement between UEFA and CAF aimed at promoting development and the shared values of unity, equality, and non-discrimination in football.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said Artan had made Somalia and the African continent proud. He noted that Artan’s CAF Men’s Referee of the Year award for 2025 and his initial selection for the FIFA World Cup 2026 reflected world-class ability and international respect.
Motsepe described the Super Cup appointment as a great honor for Artan and African referees, and an example of football bringing people from Africa, Europe, and the world together.
Artan’s case has been one of several controversies ahead of FIFA’s World Cup. He was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.
A US State Department official told AFP that Artan was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations,” making him ineligible for admission. FIFA subsequently confirmed he would no longer be part of the World Cup roster.
Despite the setback, Artan received a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu on Wednesday and vowed to take part in the 2030 World Cup. His initial selection for the 52-referee panel for the Canada-Mexico-USA tournament had been a major source of pride in Somalia.
