Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:56am on 12 Jun 2026,Friday Sports
Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa on August 12 in Salzburg. The announcement comes days after Artan was denied entry into the United States, preventing him from becoming Somalia’s first referee at a FIFA World Cup. Artan, Africa’s 2025 Referee of the Year and a FIFA international official since 2018, was reportedly detained for 11 hours at Miami airport despite holding a diplomatic passport and visa. Returning to Somalia, Artan vowed to continue representing his nation with pride on the global stage. (PC: X)
