MOGADISHU – Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has etched his name into football history after being appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, marking a landmark achievement for Somalia and African refereeing.
The match, scheduled for Aug. 12 in Salzburg, Austria, will pit UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain against UEFA Europa League holders Aston Villa in one of European football’s most prestigious annual fixtures.
Artan, who has been on FIFA’s international list of referees since 2018, has emerged in recent years as one of Africa’s most highly regarded match officials. In 2025, he was named Africa’s Men’s Referee of the Year, further enhancing his reputation on the global stage.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the Somali official’s qualities, saying Artan had demonstrated the competence, professionalism and experience required to oversee a match of such magnitude despite his relatively young age compared with some of his peers.
“Omar Artan has shown integrity, consistency and outstanding professionalism, making him deserving of this important opportunity,” Čeferin said.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe described the appointment as a moment of pride for both Somalia and the African continent.
“The appointment of Omar Artan is proof of the progress African referees are making. It demonstrates that talent, dedication and hard work can take individuals to the highest levels of world football,” Motsepe said.
The selection has been widely hailed as a historic breakthrough, making Artan the first Somali referee and one of a select group of African officials chosen to take charge of an official UEFA match of this stature.
For Somalia, the achievement represents a rare moment of international recognition beyond the country’s political and security challenges, and is expected to inspire a new generation of young Somalis aspiring to careers in sport and refereeing.
