Somali referee Omar Artan has expressed immense pride as he prepares to make history by officiating the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Wednesday in Salzburg, Austria.
The 34-year-old will become the first non-European referee to take charge of UEFA’s annual European showpiece.
Overcoming World Cup disappointment
The landmark appointment follows a painful setback in June when Artan was turned away at Miami International Airport and prevented from refereeing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. US authorities refused him entry despite possessing a valid visa.
Reflecting on the exclusion, Artan revealed that “it was a very tough period” and added “a lot of people have sympathy for me because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging.”
Heartfelt support
Following the World Cup exclusion, UEFA stepped in to assign Artan the prestigious fixture.
“When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment” Artan stated, noting that “there’s a big Somali community in Europe and in Austria and they are over the moon with me officiating a match like this.”
Meticulous preparation
To stay sharp for the Red Bull Arena clash, Artan officiated matches in Somalia and Kuwait while researching both clubs. “We referees go through a lot of preparation in terms of getting to know the teams” he explained, sharing that “I always watch the teams play.”
Historic African officiating team
Artan will lead an all-African refereeing team in Salzburg, assisted by Djibouti’s Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed and Kenya’s Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe.
