UEFA has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, days after he was denied entry into the United States and ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Artan, who had been set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, will take charge of the Super Cup clash between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League champions Aston Villa.
The match is scheduled to take place in Salzburg, Austria, on August 12.
UEFA announced the appointment on Thursday, saying the decision followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football, CAF, under a recently signed cooperation agreement between both bodies.
The 34-year-old referee has been on FIFA’s international referees list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025.
He has also handled major continental fixtures, including the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised Artan as one of the leading young referees in world football, saying his appointment was a recognition of his competence and experience.
“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,” Čeferin said.
“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.”
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the appointment, describing it as an honour for Artan, Somalia and African refereeing.
“Omar Artan has made Somalia and the entire people of the African continent extremely proud,” Motsepe said.
“This 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.”
The appointment comes amid continuing debate over Artan’s exclusion from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Somali referee was among the officials selected for the tournament, but was denied entry at Miami International Airport despite reportedly holding a valid visa and FIFA accreditation.
Artan later said he underwent an 11-hour immigration interview before being detained and placed on a return flight.
FIFA subsequently confirmed that he would be unable to officiate at the World Cup.
His exclusion has become one of the controversies surrounding the tournament, alongside other visa-related complaints and concerns affecting participating nations and fans.
With UEFA’s decision, Artan will now take charge of one of European football’s major fixtures, in what officials described as a gesture of recognition for his officiating record and a demonstration of cooperation between European and African football authorities.
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