UEFA names barred Somali referee Artan for 2026 Super Cup
Omar Artan, the Somali referee who was denied entry into the United States during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after U.S. Customs and Border Protection flagged him over alleged associations with suspected members of terror organisations, has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup. The match between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa is scheduled for 12 August 2026. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin announced the appointment in a direct statement of support for Artan's officiating credentials.
Artan was denied entry at Miami International Airport on a Saturday, days before the World Cup kicked off in North America. A Trump administration official told Fox News Digital that he was refused admission and processed under expedited removal provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. Customs and Border Protection cited "vetting concerns" in its statement. The Somali Embassy in Kenya, which processed his application, confirmed that a visa had been issued to Artan the previous week. He had been due to join other match officials at a referee training base in Miami. Artan returned to Somalia on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, where he was welcomed by supporters, and said he intended to attend a future World Cup.
Somalia is among approximately three dozen countries subject to travel restrictions imposed under the Trump administration. Artan had been set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup. He was named CAF Men's Referee of the Year for 2025 and is considered one of the leading officials on the African continent. CAF president Patrice Motsepe, whose organisation endorsed UEFA's initiative, described the Super Cup appointment as recognition of Artan's world-class ability and an honour for African officiating. Čeferin cited Artan's record at the highest level of the Confederation of African Football competition as the basis for the nomination.
The appointment represents a formal response by European football's governing body to Artan's exclusion from the World Cup. The 2026 UEFA Super Cup will provide Artan with a prominent stage at a major continental final. UEFA has not indicated whether further appointments in European competition are under consideration.
