Banned World Cup referee will officiate UEFA Super Cup final

Steve Gardner, USA TODAYThu, June 11, 2026 at 3:42 PM UTC

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Referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States before the start of the 2026 World Cup, didn't have to wait long to find another assignment.

The Somali native has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Aug. 12.

Artan, 34, received a hero's welcome when he returned to Mogadishu following his controversial exclusion from the World Cup. He was set to make history as the first Somali referee in a World Cup game, but he was turned away at the Miami airport on June 6, due to what U.S. officials later said was his "association with suspected members of terror organizations."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that Artan's exclusion was "unfortunate" but ultimately out of his hands.

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"Maybe sometimes it's good as well to just chill, relax. We work on everything. We try to solve everything," Infantino said at his June 10 press conference. "But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces."

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to officiate at matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to the United States, is received as he arrives at the Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia June 10, 2026.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football men's Referee of the Year, was greeted by hundreds of supporters, government officials and members of Somalia's football community when he arrived Wednesday at Aden Adde International Airport. As his plane touched down, fans waved national flags, chanted Artan's name and crowded around him, draping a Somali flag over his shoulders.

"I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one," Artan told the cheering crowd, according to the . "I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident. Our journey does not end here."

2026 World Cup schedule -

Group Stage: June 11-June 27

Round of 32 : June 28-July 3

Round of 16 : July 4-7

Quarterfinals : July 9-11

Semifinals : July 14-15

Third-place game : July 18 (Miami Gardens, Florida)

Final : July 19 (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Contributing: Elizabeth Flores

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Omar Artan appointed to referee UEFA Super Cup after World Cup denial

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