- Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been appointed by Uefa to officiate the Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.
- Artan was previously denied entry into the United States for the World Cup earlier this week due to alleged links to “suspected members of terror organisations”, which designated him a “national security threat”.
- Despite possessing a correct visa, Artan, named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, had his “biggest dream” of officiating at the World Cup thwarted at the US border.
- His denial of entry led to heightened criticism of the US administration and Fifa regarding inclusivity promises for the World Cup.
- Uefa stated that Artan, a highly-regarded official on the Fifa international list since 2018, was appointed to promote its core values of unity, equality, and non-discrimination.
IN FULL
