Mumbai: Omar Artan wrote himself into European football history this week, becoming the first non-European referee ever to officiate the UEFA Super Cup — a landmark moment for African match officials on the continent’s biggest club stage.
A Historic Nod for a Somali Official
The appointment came through a joint decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and UEFA, who selected Artan to take charge of the 2026 Super Cup. It capped off a rise that had already made him one of the most respected referees in African football. UEFA confirmed the milestone on its official channels, calling him the first non-European official to referee the fixture.
Artan has been on FIFA’s international refereeing list since 2018, and in that time he’s built a solid reputation officiating high-profile matches at continental level.
A World Cup Chance That Never Materialised
Interestingly, Artan had also been named among FIFA’s chosen officials for the 2026 World Cup — but that assignment never came to pass. He was denied entry into the United States, with the Trump administration citing alleged links between Artan and individuals suspected of ties to terrorist organisations. The decision kept him out of the tournament despite his place on FIFA’s list.
His UEFA Super Cup appointment, then, arrived as a kind of redemption — another major stage, and this time, a historic one.
Built on a Strong Year in Africa
Artan’s recent form has been hard to ignore. He took charge of the second leg of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League final, one of the biggest club fixtures on the continent, and capped off the year by being named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year for 2025.
His Super Cup appointment isn’t just a personal milestone — it’s also a signal of African referees increasingly getting a seat at football’s top table.
PSG Edge Out Aston Villa in Salzburg
The refereeing history was made against the backdrop of a tightly fought UEFA Super Cup clash between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa at Red Bull Arena Salzburg. PSG came out on top 2-1, adding another trophy to start their season.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave PSG the lead in the 20th minute, cutting in from the left and finding the net with a finish goalkeeper Marco Bizot had no answer for. Aston Villa hit back right before the break through 17-year-old Brian Madjo, who became the youngest scorer in the competition’s history with his 45th-minute goal.
PSG regained the lead for good in the 61st minute, Desire Doue finding the net to put PSG back in front. From there, PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov held firm, denying Villa’s late pushes for an equaliser as PSG saw out the win and lifted the trophy.
For Artan, though, the result was almost secondary — the match itself marked his place in the history books as UEFA Super Cup’s first non-European referee.
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