MOGADISHU, Somalia — European football governing body UEFA has officially appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to take charge of the prestigious 2026 UEFA Super Cup final, just days after he was controversially denied entry into the United States for the FIFA World Cup.
The landmark assignment was confirmed on Thursday, June 11, 2026, offering a massive professional consolation to the 34-year-old official following his return to Mogadishu, where he received a hero’s welcome from thousands of national supporters.
Okay News reports that Artan, who was voted Africa’s Referee of the Year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will now oversee the blockbuster match between European Champions Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12. The appointment was pushed forward under a cooperative framework between UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CAF President Patrice Motsepe to support elite African refereeing talent. Čeferin heavily praised Artan’s world-class capabilities, stating that football is built to connect people and that the referee deserved ultimate respect on the global stage despite recent travel disruptions.
The development follows international outrage after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents detained and barred Artan at Miami International Airport over the weekend. Despite possessing a valid single-entry U.S. visa, FIFA accreditation, and a diplomatic passport, the official was subjected to an grueling 11-hour interrogation regarding Somali politics and alleged “vetting concerns” before being forced onto a return flight. U.S. officials later cited suspected indirect associations under strict national immigration policies. Artan has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stating that officiating at the World Cup was the biggest dream of his life but remaining highly optimistic about his upcoming European assignment.
With his World Cup dreams sidelined by geopolitics, Artan’s appointment to the UEFA Super Cup marks the first time a Somali referee will oversee a major European club final. Back home, Somali sports authorities and regional football stakeholders have lauded the breakthrough, framing the UEFA appointment as total validation of Artan’s integrity and elite status within global football administration.
