Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who missed the FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the US despite holding a valid visa, has been appointed to officiate next month's UEFA Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa. Artan, Africa's Referee of the Year 2025, was excluded over alleged links to suspected terror associates, a claim that ended his historic World Cup debut hopes.
New York: Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who has been ruled out of officiating at the World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, has been appointed to take charge of next month's UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, Reuters reported.
Artan, 34, had been named among the match officials for the June 11-July 19 World Cup but was forced to miss the tournament after U.S. authorities declined his entry despite him holding a valid visa.
European football's governing body said on Thursday that Artan's appointment for the Super Cup followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is part of a recently signed cooperation agreement between the two organisations.
Artan, Africa's referee of the year in 2025, had been set to become the first Somali to officiate at soccer's global showpiece, but was turned back by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
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