UEFA Appoints Controversial Referee Omar Artan to Officiate Super Cup Match

European football’s governing body, UEFA, on Thursday announced that Somali referee Omar Artan — who was controversially barred from entering the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup — will officiate a major European match in August.

Artan has been appointed to referee the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, which will take place on Aug. 12 in Salzburg between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa FC. The game serves as a season opener to the European club competitions.

U.S. authorities turned Artan back at the border in Miami earlier this week, despite his selection by FIFA to referee matches at the World Cup.

Andrew Giuliani, who is in charge of the White House’s World Cup task force, told the BBC that “while I can’t go into the derog [derogatory information] on that, I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”

FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have endured massive criticism over the referee’s rejection, with the fallout overshadowing much of the tournament’s kick-off week and casting a harsh spotlight on the border policies of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

In a statement, 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. 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.”

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