Somali Referee Barred from U.S. World Cup to Officiate UEFA Super Cup

Somali Referee Barred from U.S. World Cup to Officiate UEFA Super Cup
2 min readSportsDiplomacy

The selection of Somali referee Omar Artan for the UEFA Super Cup follows controversy over his denied U.S. entry for the World Cup.

  • Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin responded to criticism after the U.S. denied entry to Somali referee Omar Arta for the FIFA World Cup.
  • Omar Artan was barred by the United States from officiating at the World Cup, according to The Independent.
  • Artan has now been chosen to officiate the UEFA Super Cup game in August.
  • The UEFA Super Cup match will be between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.
  • CBS News reported on the backlash following the U.S. decision to deny Artan entry.

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States for the FIFA World Cup and has since been selected to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match in August.

The incident highlights ongoing scrutiny of international travel restrictions and their impact on global sporting events, as well as Artan's continued recognition in major football competitions.

Artan is set to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August. Further responses from U.S. officials or football governing bodies may follow.

Confirmed by 2 independent sources