The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced that Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the UEFA Super Cup in 2026. The match will be between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa and is scheduled to take place on August 12, 2026 in Salzburg, Austria. PSG, the Champions League winner, will face the winner of the Europa League, Aston Villa. Artan’s nomination came after discussions between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who recently signed a new cooperative agreement to develop various aspects of football, including referees. Artan is a well-known referee in Africa and has been on FIFA’s list of international referees since 2018. Despite his young age, he has officiated major continental and international matches, including the second leg of the CAF Champions League Final in the 2025/2026 season. In 2025, he also received the Africa Men’s Referee Award from CAF for his outstanding performances in the continent’s competitions. Although FIFA has already included him in the list of referees for the 2026 World Cup, Artan could not participate in the tournament after he was denied entry into the United States. The President of EUFA, Aleksander Ceferin, said that Artan is a high-quality referee who has already proven himself, and his appointment shows the respect UEFA has for his skills and the level he has reached in international refereeing. For his part, the President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, described the appointment of Artan as a great honor for Somalia and the entire African continent. Motsepe said, “Omar Artan has brought great honor to Somalia and Africa. His nomination for the game and his previous achievements are a proof of his international talent and his reputation in the world of Football.
