Somali referee Omar Artan has made history after becoming the first non-European official to referee the UEFA Super Cup.

The 34-year-old took charge of the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria, on Wednesday, August 12. His appointment marked a major milestone for African football and capped a remarkable period in his career.

Artan’s historic appearance comes just weeks after he was unable to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Although he had been selected for the tournament and was on FIFA’s list of match officials, he was denied entry into the US and subsequently removed from the World Cup roster.

The incident attracted international attention, with reports that US authorities raised national security concerns over alleged associations with suspected terror-group affiliates. Artan has denied wrongdoing, and the allegations against him have not been proven.

Artan has been on FIFA’s international refereeing list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. He also became the first Somali referee to officiate a CAF Champions League final, establishing himself as one of Africa’s leading officials.

His Super Cup appointment also places a Somali official at the centre of a competition that, until now, had been exclusively refereed by Europeans.