Referee Omar Artan, denied entry to the United States in June ahead of the 2026 World Cup over concerns tied to alleged terror links, has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the UEFA Super Cup final on Aug. 12. The appointment comes as FIFA President Gianni In
Omar Artan learned that the World Cup wasn’t going to happen for him at the Miami airport on June 6—then, within weeks, his next big assignment came into view.
The Somali referee, 34, was appointed by UEFA to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Aug. 12, a swift turn from the moment U.S. officials denied his entry ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The U.S. decision followed a troubling explanation. Artan was turned away in Miami due to what U.S. officials later said was his “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” He had been set to make history as the first Somali referee in a World Cup game. but instead the sequence shifted from expectation to exclusion.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the wider visa situation on Wednesday, saying that most U.S. World Cup visa cases are resolved despite issues, including the case involving Artan. In a June 10 press conference. Infantino acknowledged the outcome as unfortunate. while drawing a hard line around what FIFA can and can’t control.
“Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just chill, relax. We work on everything. We try to solve everything,” Infantino said on June 10. “But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces.”
Artan’s return to Somalia turned the denial into something more visible and more personal. He received a hero’s welcome when he arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday at Aden Adde International Airport. Hundreds of supporters, government officials, and members of Somalia’s football community gathered as his plane touched down.
Fans waved national flags, chanted his name, and crowded around him, draping a Somali flag over his shoulders. Standing amid the celebration. Artan told the cheering crowd. “I promise you. God willing. that I will attend the next one.” He added. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident. Our journey does not end here.”.
The World Cup itself runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with the third-place game scheduled for July 18 in Miami Gardens, Florida, and the final set for July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Within that larger calendar. Artan’s story has taken on a sharper shape: first the abrupt stop at the Miami airport on June 6. then the return to his home crowd. and now the UEFA Super Cup final appointment on Aug. 12. For Artan. the path back into elite-level officiating is clear even as the World Cup doors remained closed at the border.
Omar Artan UEFA Super Cup Paris Saint-Germain Aston Villa 2026 World Cup visa Gianni Infantino Miami airport denial Somali referee Aden Adde International Airport Mogadishu welcome