Somali referee Omar Artan makes history as first Non-European to officiate UEFA Super Cup

Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will make history on Wednesday when he takes charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, becoming the first referee from outside Europe to officiate the prestigious fixture.

UEFA appointed the 34-year-old Somali referee in June following consultations with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The match will be played at Stadion Salzburg in Austria and will feature Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain against Europa League winners Aston Villa.

Artan has been on the FIFA international referees’ list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. His appointment represents a significant recognition of African refereeing on one of European football’s biggest stages.

The appointment has also drawn international attention because Artan was unable to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after U.S. authorities denied him entry to the United States, where he had been selected among the tournament’s match officials. He subsequently returned to Somalia.

UEFA’s decision to appoint him for the Super Cup has given Artan an immediate opportunity to return to the international spotlight. UEFA described him as one of the leading referees in world football despite his relatively young age.

The historic match will see Artan lead a multinational officiating team. His assistants are Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed of Djibouti and Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe of Kenya, while Italy’s Marco Di Bello has been appointed as the Video Assistant Referee.

For Somalia, Artan’s appointment marks another major milestone in the country’s growing presence in international football. The PSG-Aston Villa clash is therefore attracting attention not only for the battle between two European champions, but also for the historic role of a Somali referee at the centre of the occasion.

Mustaqbal