Silver lining handed to World Cup 2026 referee deported by Trump’s US administration

UEFA has announced that Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred from the World Cup by the Donald Trump administration’s immigration policies, will officiate the UEFA Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa. Despite his young age, Artan has established himself as one of the world’s leading referees and has been on FIFA’s international list since 2018. Among the most notable games he has overseen was the second leg of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League final. In recognition of his performances, he received the 2025 CAF Men’s Referee of the Year award.

Why did UEFA reward Somali referee Omar Artan?

Artan had been included by FIFA on the list of referees selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but was unable to take part because he was not granted permission to enter the United States. The decision to appoint Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup was made within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between UEFA and CAF to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas, including refereeing.

Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA, said: “Omar Artan is a young and outstanding referee with extensive experience who has proven his quality at the highest level of African football. Football brings people together, and UEFA wishes to show its respect for Omar and his exceptional refereeing ability, which has earned him this prestigious appointment. I would like to thank my friend, CAF President Patrice Motsepe, for his enthusiastic support of our initiative.”

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