Omar Artan to Officiate UEFA Super Cup After World Cup Heartbreak

Somali international referee Omar Artan will officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Austria on Aug. 12.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced on Thursday.

“We’re pleased to share that Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the highly anticipated match between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg,” UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA’s decision comes just days after Artan was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Despite the huge setback, Artan arrived Wednesday in Mogadishu to a hero’s welcome.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan greets fans who show support for him upon his return to his country, in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Photo by Abuukar Mohamed Muhidin/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“I can promise you that I will officiate at the next FIFA World Cup, and I thank FIFA and the Somali people for their support,” Artan said at a news conference after his arrival.

The Somali Football Federation called Artan’s journey “a source of pride for Somalia, CECAFA (Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations) and African football.”

The restriction by the Trump administration has sparked international uproar, with some football fans demanding a boycott of the World Cup.

Artan was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.

He was recently named Africa’s Best Referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards in Morocco, organized by the Confederation of African Football.