Somali referee Omar Artan spoke about the UEFA Super Cup match, which will pit French side Paris Saint-Germain against English side Aston Villa, and which he will officiate in a few days.
Referee Omar Artan is the first Somali to officiate the final of the CAF Champions League, before receiving the award for best referee on the continent, which then opened the doors for him to participate in the 2026 World Cup finals, before he was prevented from obtaining a visa to enter the United States of America.
The dream of 34-year-old Omar Artan has not evaporated, as it was decided that he would officiate the UEFA Super Cup match, becoming the first referee from outside Europe to take on that task.
Omar Artan’s statements
Omar Artan began his statements, which he gave via the UEFA website, by saying: “It has been a very difficult period. Many sympathized with me because when a person works for many years and is supposed to achieve something, then cannot, it is very difficult.”
He began talking about his starting point: “I was lucky, but I worked hard to get here, and I am very proud of that. As you can imagine, I grew up in difficult circumstances, but that did not stop me from pursuing my dreams.”
He continued: “I have received support throughout my career, and without the Confederation of African Football, this would not have been possible. This will be my first match in Europe. Embarking on adventures, making memories, and learning new things is always wonderful.”
He added: “It is wonderful that the Confederation of African Football is cooperating with UEFA, the best federation in the world for referees. The level in Europe is excellent, and the football they play is truly wonderful.”
He added: “I believe that CAF referees can benefit greatly from UEFA, and vice versa. It is a fruitful cooperation for both sides, and I am honored to be appointed to officiate this big match.”
He continued: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to UEFA, as well as to the president of the Confederation of African Football and all its staff.”
Omar Artan described the moment he received the news of officiating the Super Cup match as a happy moment, saying: “When we received this call, it was a very happy moment for me and my family. There is a large Somali community in Europe and Austria, and they are extremely happy about my officiating a match like this.”
He concluded: “I believe that if I can succeed, anyone else can achieve what they aspire to.”
Super Cup match officials
Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia)
Assistant referees: Liban Abdurazak Ahmed (Djibouti), Stephen Eliazer Onyango Yiembe (Kenya)
Fourth official: Rade Obrenović (Slovenia)
Video assistant referee: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández (Spain)
