Somali referee Artan to officiate Uefa Super Cup after World Cup denial
8 reported
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, has been appointed to officiate the Uefa Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa. The game is scheduled for 12 August in Salzburg. European football’s governing body Uefa said the decision followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (Caf). Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan as an excellent young referee who has proven himself at the highest level of African football. Artan, the 2025 Caf men’s referee of the year, was turned away by US border officials in Miami despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry US visa. A US government official said Artan was denied entry due to an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.” Artan told the New York Times he was questioned about links to Somali militant group Al Shabab and said he knew nothing about the group.
What’s reported
Omar Artan has been appointed to referee the Uefa Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa.
The match is scheduled for 12 August in Salzburg.
Uefa said the decision followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin called Artan an “excellent young but already experienced referee.”
Artan was the 2025 Caf men’s referee of the year and has been on Fifa’s international list since 2018.
He was denied entry to the US for the World Cup despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry US visa.
A US government official said Artan was denied entry due to an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.”
Artan told the New York Times he was questioned about links to Al Shabab and said he knew nothing about the group.
Key figures
Omar Artan, Somali referee
Aleksander Ceferin, Uefa president
Patrice Motsepe, Caf president (mentioned as supporting the initiative)
Sources: BBC News
