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UEFA has selected Omar Artan, the referee who was refused entry into the United States for the 2026 World Cup, to officiate this year's Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.
Chosen by FIFA to officiate at the tournament, Artan was turned back after arriving in Miami on a flight from Istanbul. The Somali national, thought to have been traveling on a diplomatic passport following difficulties obtaining a visa, was subjected to additional screening by Customs and Border Protection upon landing.
Artan was recognized as Africa's top referee by CAF in 2025 and has officiated at last year's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, along with one leg of Africa's most recent Champions League final.
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No official reason for the denial was provided at the time, but the BBC later cited a Trump administration source accusing Artan of "association with suspected members of terror organizations." The referee subsequently told the New York Times that he had made clear to immigration officials he had no knowledge of any such alleged connections.
FIFA confirmed that Artan would not be able to take part in the World Cup, having been on track to make history as Somalia's first-ever World Cup referee. Soccer's global governing body maintained there was little it could do beyond deferring to local authorities, and faced sharp criticism for appearing to distance itself from the matter.
Now, Europe's soccer governing body has stepped forward to honor Artan, who has carried himself with dignity and composure throughout the ordeal. Though denied the opportunity to make World Cup history for his nation — where he was greeted as a hero upon his return this week — the 34-year-old will instead become the first non-European referee in the 53-year history of the UEFA Super Cup.
It will be widely regarded as a PR victory for UEFA at FIFA's expense.
The annual fixture, set for Aug. 12 in Salzburg this year, pits the previous season's Champions League champion against the Europa League winner. PSG claimed the trophy last season by defeating Tottenham Hotspur in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw at the end of 90 minutes.
Africa 'Proud' of Omar Artan
UEFA already holds a recently signed 'Memorandum of Understanding' with African counterpart CAF aimed at fostering cooperation between the two confederations. One of the areas covered by that agreement is refereeing, making it a natural move to bring Artan on board for the Super Cup.
"Omar Artan is an outstanding young yet already seasoned referee, who has demonstrated his quality at the highest level of competition within the Confederation of African Football," UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said. "Football exists to bring people together, and UEFA wants to express its respect for Omar and his exceptional officiating abilities, which earned him such a prestigious appointment. I am grateful to my friend CAF President Patrice Motsepe for his enthusiastic support of our initiative."
Motsepe stated: "Omar Artan has brought immense pride to Somalia and to the entire African continent. His recognition as the CAF Men's Referee of the Year 2025 and his appointment as a FIFA World Cup 2026 referee are a testament to his world-class officiating and the international esteem in which he is held.
"I am deeply grateful to my friend, Aleksander Čeferin, for giving Omar Artan the opportunity to officiate the UEFA Super Cup 2026. This is a tremendous honor for Omar Artan and for African referees as a whole, and serves as a wonderful example of football bringing together and uniting people from Africa, Europe, and across the globe."