Artan Gets Major UEFA Appointment
Somali referee Omar Artan is set to officiate the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa on Wednesday, August 12, in Salzburg, Austria. PSG won the UEFA Champions League, while Aston Villa won the Europa League. The match will be played at Red Bull Arena.
The appointment comes after Artan missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup. UEFA chose him for the Super Cup following talks with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). He will become the first referee from outside Europe to officiate the UEFA Super Cup.
Artan will have assistant referees Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed from Djibouti and Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe from Kenya alongside him.
For the 34-year-old, the match is another chance to referee at the highest level after a difficult summer.
A Referee From Somalia Makes History
Artan’s international career has grown steadily since he joined FIFA’s referee list in 2018. His work has taken him to some of Africa’s biggest football tournaments.
In 2024, he became the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations. The following year, he was given the second leg of the CAF Champions League final between AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Artan’s 2025 season brought another major honour when he was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year. He also worked at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
His record earned him a place among the officials selected for the 2026 World Cup. He would have been the first Somali referee to officiate at the tournament.
That opportunity ended before he could take part.
World Cup Chance Ends At US Airport
Artan was stopped at Miami International Airport in June after arriving in the United States for the World Cup. FIFA later confirmed that he would not be able to train or officiate at the tournament because he could not enter the country.
Artan said he spent around 11 hours at the airport before being sent back to Somalia. US authorities said he was found inadmissible following vetting concerns.
A US official later told AFP that Artan was allegedly linked to suspected members of terrorist organisations. Artan denied the allegation. The claim has not been established as fact.
The setback attracted attention in Somalia, where Artan was welcomed home after returning from the United States. He later described the period as difficult after spending years working towards his World Cup chance.
From World Cup Setback To Super Cup
Artan did not let the World Cup setback end his season. He returned to refereeing in Somalia and also worked matches in the Kuwaiti Premier League.
Ahead of the Super Cup, he said he prepares by studying the teams he will officiate, including their tactics and how their players behave during games. That preparation will now be put to the test in one of Europe’s biggest club matches.
UEFA’s appointment gives Artan a different kind of follow-up to his World Cup disappointment. Instead of working at the tournament in North America, he will be in Salzburg for a match between two European champions.
PSG and Aston Villa will meet at Red Bull Arena on August 12, with Artan in charge. The game will make him the first non-European referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup.
For Somali football, it is another notable moment for a referee who has already broken new ground internationally.
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