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Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Wednesday, weeks after he was denied entry into the United States (US) and missed the World Cup.
Artan was part of FIFA’s selected referee panel for the tournament but was turned away at Miami International Airport before the competition began in June.
“It was a very tough period. 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,” Artan said in an interview published on the UEFA website.
A US State Department official told AFP that Artan was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations”, making him ineligible to enter the country.
Artan rejected the allegations, which ignited outrage in Somalia, where he was welcomed as a hero after returning home.
UEFA has now given Artan a major opportunity by appointing him to referee the Super Cup clash between Champions League winners PSG and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
“I was lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here and I’m really proud,” Artan said.
The appointment marks his first match as a referee in Europe and comes after he became the first Somali official to referee at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024.
“As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my dreams,” he said.
Artan said the UEFA appointment was a proud moment for him and his family.
“When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment,” he added.
UEFA linked the appointment to its cooperation agreement with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), signed in April to strengthen ties between the two football bodies.
The decision also comes during growing tensions between UEFA and FIFA President Infantino over proposals to allow private investors greater involvement in the World Cup.
