11.06.2026 16:30
Because he was not allowed entry to the USA and thus unable to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Somali referee Omar Artan has received notable support from UEFA. Europe's football governing body announced that Artan will referee the UEFA Super Cup final.
A shocking development shook the football world ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly organized by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. It was alleged that Somali referee Omar Artan, who was expected to officiate the tournament, was denied entry to the USA and deported on grounds of "national security."
Artan, who was named "Referee of the Year" in Africa in 2025 and was on the final list of referees for the World Cup, returned to his home country Somalia after being denied entry to the USA.
RECEIVED AS A HERO IN MOGADISHU
Thousands of people filled a stadium for Omar Artan upon his arrival in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday. The successful referee, who received great support in his country, turned into a national hero following the incident.
While Artan's inability to officiate at the World Cup caused widespread repercussions in the football community, messages of support for the referee poured in one after another.
NOTEWORTHY GESTURE FROM UEFA
Following these developments, UEFA assigned an important role to Omar Artan. The governing body of European football announced that the Somali referee will officiate the UEFA Super Cup final.
According to UEFA's statement, Omar Artan will referee the UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.
STIRRED REACTIONS IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD
The deportation decision before the World Cup and UEFA's subsequent assignment to Artan were among the notable developments in the football world. UEFA's decision was seen as a significant message of support for the Somali referee.