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UEFA appoints Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate 2026 Super Cup in Salzburg after US denied him entry and World Cup role, sparking debate over US immigration procedures
Omar Abdulkadir Artan during the during the CAF Champions League final (AP)
UEFA has appointed Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, just days after he was denied entry to the United States and ruled out of the FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old official had initially been selected among the 52 referees for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. However, U.S. authorities refused him entry upon his arrival in Miami, despite his valid visa, and he was subsequently removed from FIFA’s World Cup roster.
On Thursday, UEFA confirmed that Artan will referee the Super Cup on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League holders Aston Villa. The decision followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as part of a cooperation agreement between the two organisations.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan’s abilities and experience, saying: “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.”
“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 hailed the appointment, stating that Artan had “made Somalia and the entire people of the African continent, extremely proud”. He added that the Super Cup role “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”.
Respected Referee, Not Terrorist!
Artan returned to Mogadishu on Wednesday to a hero’s welcome and said he hopes to officiate at the next FIFA World Cup in 2030. His case has drawn international attention and renewed debate over U.S. immigration procedures during the World Cup build-up.
A U.S. State Department official said Artan was denied entry because he was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, making him “ineligible for admission to the United States”.
(With inputs from Agencies)
About the Author
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for over a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket conten…Read More
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