Omar Artan, the Somali referee denied entry to the United States to officiate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has landed a new role with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 11, UEFA confirmed that Artan will officiate the Super Cup tie between PSG and Aston Villa.
UEFA explained that the decision was reached following discussions with the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF).
"Referee announced for 2026 SuperCup! We're pleased to share that Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the highly anticipated match between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg," UEFA wrote in a statement.
The Super Cup game is a match between the UEFA Champions League winner and the UEFA Europa League winner and will be played in Salzburg on August 12, 2026.
Artan's appointment to officiate the UEFA Super Cup was made in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed between UEFA and CAF to encourage cooperation in many areas.
"UEFA and CAF are united by a shared commitment to developing football at all levels and promoting the core values of unity, equality and non-discrimination," the statement continued.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin explained that the Associations wanted to show the Somali referee respect and showcase his outstanding officiating skills.
"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 noted.
On his part, CAF President Patrice Motsepe noted that Artan made Somalia and the entire African continent proud after he was appointed as a referee of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He thanked his UEFA counterpart for appointing the referee to officiate the match, terming it a great honour not only for him, but also for African referees.
Artan made headlines after he was denied entry to the US, where he was to officiate matches in the World Cup. The US government deemed him a security risk to its citizens.
Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the decision was regrettable, but there was not much the global football association could do to intervene.
Infantino stated that the bark stopped with the US as the hosting country and that it could not interfere with America's immigration policy.
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