Somali referee Omar Artan is set to make history on Wednesday when he takes charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria.
The 34-year-old will become the first non-European referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup, marking another major milestone in his career. UEFA appointed Artan following discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as part of growing cooperation between the two continental football bodies.
Artan’s appointment comes after a difficult period in which he was unable to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States. He had been selected among FIFA’s World Cup match officials but was later removed from the tournament after being prevented from entering the country.
Despite the setback, Artan has continued to rise in international refereeing. He has been on FIFA’s international referees list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. He also officiated the second leg match Between Pyramid Fc and Mamelodi Sundowns Fc for the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final .
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