Tuesday, August 11, 2026 - Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has arrived in Salzburg ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, turning a major setback into a historic opportunity.
Artan was selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami, preventing him from taking part in the tournament. Now, he is preparing to become the first non-European referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup.
The 34-year-old official has earned his place among Africa’s leading referees, becoming the first Somali referee to oversee a CAF Champions League final and winning the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year award.
He has also returned to competitive action in Somalia and the Kuwaiti Premier League to stay sharp ahead of his landmark European assignment. Artan will be supported by assistant referees Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed of Djibouti and Kenya’s Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe.
For Artan, the Super Cup represents a powerful response to one of the biggest disappointments of his career. Rather than allowing his World Cup exclusion to define his season, he now has an opportunity to make history on one of European football’s biggest stages.
Ahead of the match, Artan has urged fellow officials and aspiring referees to keep dreaming, saying his journey shows that setbacks do not have to end the pursuit of major achievements.
0 Comments