Somalia’s Omar Artan Named Referee For 2026 UEFA Super Cup Final

UEFA has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup Final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, in what will be a landmark moment for African football officiating.

The match is scheduled for August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, with PSG representing the UEFA Champions League winners and Aston Villa carrying the banner as UEFA Europa League champions.

His appointment carries enormous significance. Artan will become the first Somali referee to officiate a UEFA Super Cup Final, a milestone that arrives under bittersweet circumstances.

The 34-year-old had originally been selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, but was denied entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which cited “vetting concerns” in blocking his participation.

The decision triggered a wave of condemnation across the football world and reignited debates around racial and geopolitical bias in the sport’s administration.

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UEFA moved swiftly in response. The decision to appoint Artan was made within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between UEFA and CAF to encourage cooperation across several areas, including refereeing.

Despite his relatively young age, Artan has built an impressive officiating résumé.

He has been on the FIFA international list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025.

Among his most notable assignments was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League Final.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin was unequivocal in his praise for the official. “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,” Čeferin said.

“Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills.”

CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the news with pride.

“Omar Artan has made Somalia and the entire people of the African Continent extremely proud.

“His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys,” Motsepe said, adding his gratitude to Čeferin for making the appointment possible.

For the African football community, Artan’s appointment on August 12 will be more than just a refereeing assignment, it will be a statement.

A moment that affirms African officiating belongs on the world’s biggest stages, regardless of where politics and borders draw their lines.