Somali Referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan Set for UEFA Super Cup After World Cup Entry Denial

Omar Abdulkadir Artan's Journey to the UEFA Super Cup

New York [US], June 11: Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali referee, has been appointed to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, following his exclusion from the World Cup due to entry denial into the United States.

The 34-year-old referee was initially selected to be part of the officiating team for the World Cup scheduled from June 11 to July 19. However, he was unable to attend after U.S. authorities refused him entry, despite his valid visa.

On Thursday, UEFA announced Artan's new role for the Super Cup, which comes after consultations with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as part of a recent collaboration agreement.

Artan, who was recognized as Africa's referee of the year in 2025, was poised to make history as the first Somali referee at the World Cup but was turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The Trump administration stated that Artan's entry was denied due to alleged connections with suspected terrorist groups.

Expressing his disappointment, Artan remarked, "What happened has happened, and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me," upon his return to Mogadishu, Somalia. He encouraged his supporters to remain united behind their nation.

FIFA had earlier revealed the selection of 52 referees and 88 assistant referees for the 2026 World Cup.