Omar Artan to referee UEFA Super Cup after U.S. World Cup denial

UEFA has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the Super Cup final on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, giving him one of European football’s showcase appointments after U.S. authorities denied him entry for World Cup duty in Miami.

The decision places Artan on the referee team for the match between Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions League winner, and Aston Villa, the Europa League winner. It is a notable recovery for a referee who had been in line for a historic World Cup role before the U.S. denial ended that opportunity.

A high-profile UEFA assignment

UEFA said the appointment was meant to show respect for Artan and his officiating ability, according to comments from president Aleksander Ceferin. Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe also praised the selection, calling it a great honor for Artan and for African referees.

UEFA has said the assignment was coordinated with CAF. The Super Cup final is one of the governing body’s most visible annual fixtures, and the choice of Artan gives him a prominent platform after a period that had threatened to define his career for the wrong reasons.

What happened in Miami

Artan was previously selected for FIFA World Cup duty, but U.S. authorities denied him entry at Miami International Airport, according to AP reporting. FIFA then removed him from the World Cup referee list.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the refusal was based on unspecified vetting concerns. AP also reported that U.S. officials claimed terror-organization links without publicly providing proof. The exact evidentiary basis for the decision has not been documented publicly.

Artan had been issued a U.S. visa by Somalia’s embassy in Kenya, according to AP. After the denial, he returned to Mogadishu on June 10, where he received a hero’s welcome from supporters and officials.

The wider political backdrop

The case has unfolded against the Trump administration’s June 4, 2025 proclamation fully suspending entry for nationals of Somalia, with listed exceptions for athletes and members of athletic teams traveling for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting events as determined by the secretary of state.

That exception language makes Artan’s denial particularly striking, because the World Cup referee assignment was tied to an event covered by the proclamation’s sports carveout. The public record so far does not explain why he was still refused entry despite that exception.

The dispute has therefore become larger than one official’s travel problem. It has raised questions about how U.S. entry restrictions are applied to international sports personnel, especially when global tournaments depend on cross-border movement long before the first match is played.

Why the appointment matters

Artan had been expected to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup. Losing that chance after the Miami denial made the episode both a personal setback and a symbolic one for Somali football.

UEFA’s response now reads as a public show of support from European and African football officials. It also gives Artan a major assignment at a time when the controversy around his World Cup removal is still unresolved.

What remains unclear is whether FIFA will make any further statement about his removal or replacement, or whether U.S. authorities will add detail about the vetting concerns cited in the denial. For now, the Super Cup appointment restores Artan to a marquee stage and keeps the circumstances of his World Cup exclusion in view.