SALZBURG, Austria — Somali referee Omar Artan described officiating Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa as his “World Cup” after being denied the opportunity to referee at the global tournament following his refusal of entry into the United States.
The 34-year-old was part of FIFA’s panel of referees selected for the World Cup but was turned away upon arrival at Miami International Airport, preventing him from taking part in the tournament.
UEFA subsequently invited Artan to officiate the Super Cup, which Paris Saint-Germain won 2-1, giving him an opportunity to take charge of a major international fixture in Europe.
Following the match in Salzburg, UEFA shared a photograph of the official match ball on which Artan had written: “This was my World Cup.”
UEFA captioned the photograph: “A special Super Cup souvenir from Omar Artan.”
Artan also used his Instagram account on Thursday to thank UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for supporting his appointment.
“Thanks to everyone who made this possible,” Artan wrote.
He particularly thanked UEFA for trusting him with the assignment and welcoming him to Europe, as well as CAF for its support in making the opportunity possible.
Referee denied entry to US
Artan’s selection for the World Cup was disrupted when US authorities refused him entry into the country.
A US State Department official told AFP that Artan was allegedly “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, which the official said made him ineligible for admission to the United States.
Artan rejected the allegations, while the decision triggered anger in Somalia, where the referee received a hero’s welcome after returning home.
His appointment to the UEFA Super Cup provided an opportunity to return to the international stage and officiate a high-profile fixture involving two of Europe’s leading clubs.
UEFA said its decision to appoint Artan was also linked to a cooperation agreement signed with CAF at the end of April aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two continental football governing bodies.
UEFA-CAF partnership
The appointment comes against the backdrop of increasingly significant cooperation between UEFA and CAF, with the two organisations seeking to expand ties and create opportunities for officials and football professionals from both continents.
Artan’s Super Cup assignment also carried broader political significance within global football, coming amid tensions between UEFA and FIFA leadership.
UEFA has frequently challenged aspects of FIFA’s governance under president Gianni Infantino. The European governing body was also central to opposition to a proposal to open the World Cup to private investors, a plan that ultimately failed amid resistance from European football authorities.
The dispute has contributed to wider tensions between UEFA and FIFA, including suggestions that European football could consider boycotting FIFA competitions as pressure mounts for changes in the organisation’s leadership.
For Artan, however, the Super Cup represented a personal milestone after an otherwise disappointing World Cup experience.
The Somali official’s performance in Salzburg offered him the chance to officiate at one of European football’s most prestigious fixtures and, as his message on the match ball suggested, gave him a stage he regarded as his own World Cup moment.
