Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry into the United States to officiate at the World Cup, has been chosen to oversee the European Super Cup match in August.
Continental body UEFA said on Thursday that Artan will be the referee for the August 12 match in Salzburg between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa.
Artan was named African Referee of the Year 2025 and UEFA said the decision was made after discussions with the African confederation.
"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," UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said.
“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."
Artan was to be one of seven World Cup referees from Africa.
He arrived in the US at Miami airport with valid travel documents but was then questioned for several hours by US Customs and Border Protection officers. The CBP then denied him entry and deported him to Istanbul from where he had arrived.
CNN reported they were told by an official of President Donald Trump's administration that "the vetting uncovered 'derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations."
World governing body FIFA, which chose Artan in the first place, said it had no saying on immigration matters.
Its president, Gianni Infantino, said on Wednesday: "We don't control everything. We tried to discuss, we speak. Sometimes it's good as well just to chill, relax."
