Somali referee Artan appointed to Uefa Super Cup after World Cup denial
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the US to officiate at the World Cup, has been appointed to take charge of the Uefa Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa.
Uefa has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the Uefa Super Cup after he was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup. The match between Champions League winners Paris St-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa will take place on 12 August in Salzburg.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan as an excellent young but experienced referee who has proven himself at the highest level of the Confederation of African Football (Caf). The decision was made after discussions with Caf.
Artan, the 2025 Caf men's referee of the year, had been set to become the first Somali to referee at a World Cup. However, he was turned away by border officials in Miami despite holding a diplomatic passport and a US visa. A US government official cited an alleged association with suspected members of terror organisations. Somalia is on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump.
Artan told the New York Times he was questioned about the Somali militant group Al Shabab and said he knew nothing about them. "I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa. I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream," he said.
Now Artan will become the first non-European to referee the Super Cup. Uefa has been in contact with the Austrian Football Association and is confident he will have no entry issues. Uefa signed an agreement with Caf in April aimed at offering opportunities to African officials. The timing of the announcement, amid Uefa's previous criticism of Fifa over World Cup ticket prices, suggests a deliberate move to highlight Artan's situation.
