The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, following consultations with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) under a newly strengthened cooperation framework between the two bodies.
The match, scheduled for 12 August in Salzburg, will feature UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain against UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa.
Artan, 34, has been on the FIFA international referees list since 2018 and has steadily risen to prominence as one of Africa’s most highly regarded officials. His recent career highlights include officiating the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final. In recognition of his consistency and performance at the highest level, he was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year 2025.
Omar Artan was also included in FIFA’s match officials list for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was unable to participate due to visa restrictions preventing his entry into the United States.
UEFA’s decision to assign him to the Super Cup forms part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between UEFA and CAF aimed at deepening cooperation in football development, particularly in refereeing. The agreement emphasizes shared values including unity, equality, and non-discrimination.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the appointment, describing Artan as a referee of high calibre.
“Omar Artan is an excellent young but already experienced referee, who has proven himself at the highest competition level of the Confederation of African Football. Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination. I am grateful to my friend CAF President Patrice Motsepe for supporting enthusiastically our initiative”, He said.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the development, calling it a proud moment for Somalia and African football as a whole.
“Omar Artan has made Somalia and the entire people of the African Continent, extremely proud. His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys. I am very thankful to my friend, Aleksander Čeferin for enabling Omar Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup 2026 match. This is a great honour for Omar Artan and for African referees and is also an excellent example of football, bringing together and uniting people from Africa and Europe and worldwide”, He said.
The appointment is being viewed as a symbolic step in strengthening ties between African and European football institutions and promoting greater representation of African officials at the highest levels of the game.
