Omar Artan was named as a match official for the 2026 World Cup, but will miss the tournament after the United States refused to allow him to play.
Published June 11, 2026
Somali referee Omar Altan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, has been appointed to referee the UEFA Super Cup, European soccer’s governing body announced.
UEFA president Alexander Ceferin praised the Somali referee in a statement released on Thursday, hours before the start of international organization FIFA’s flagship World Cup.
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“Omar Altan is a talented young player, but he is already an experienced referee who has proven himself at the highest level of competition in the Confederation of African Football,” Ceferin said.
“Football is created to bring people together and UEFA would like to pay tribute to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which has led to him being nominated for such an honor.”
After consultation with the African Confederation, UEFA announced that “Today, Somali referee Omar Altan has been appointed to referee the 2026 UEFA Super Cup match between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa, to be held on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria.”
Artan’s incident is one of many that have tarnished preparations for the FIFA World Cup.
UEFA said Altan’s appointment was made within the framework of an agreement aimed at promoting cooperation between UEFA and CAF.
“UEFA and CAF are united by a shared commitment to developing football at all levels and promoting the core values of unity, equality and non-discrimination.”
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said Mr Artan “made Somalia and the entire African continent extremely proud”.
“His win of the 2025 CAF Male Referee of the Year award and his appointment as a referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are a testament to his world-class officiating ability and the international respect he enjoys.”
Motsepe said being appointed to referee the Super Cup was “a great honor for Omar Altan and African referees and a great example of football bringing together and uniting people in Africa, Europe and the world.”
Artan was barred from entering the United States after arriving at Miami International Airport on Saturday.
A US State Department official told AFP that the adjudicator had “associations with a suspected terrorist organization” and that “the traveler was no longer eligible to enter the United States.”
FIFA also confirmed that the player will not be participating in the World Cup.
Artan’s appointment as one of the 52 referees for the finals to be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States was a source of great pride for his compatriots.
He returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu on Wednesday and vowed to take part in the next World Cup in 2030.
The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11th. Check out Al Jazeera’s dedicated 2026 World Cup page for all the latest news, fixtures and live text commentary, and stay up to date with group standings, real-time results and schedules.
