Omar Abdulkadir Artan

Omar Abdulkadir Artan was born on 6 June 1992 in Mogadishu and is a Somali football referee. He joined FIFA's international referee list in 2018 and has since officiated matches in major African continental competitions.

He became known for two reasons: one sporting and one political. In football, he was the first Somali to referee a CAF Champions League final and was selected for the best male referee award in Africa in 2025. On the political side, in June 2026 he was denied entry to the United States, which prevented him from attending the 2026 World Cup and subsequently led UEFA to appoint him as referee for the 2026 Super Cup.

Early life and professional development

Artan grew up in Mogadishu during a period of conflict when football activities were limited. He initially refereed domestic matches in Somalia before being added to FIFA's international list in 2018. In January 2024, at the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire, he became the first Somali to referee an AFCON match, officiating the game between Tunisia and Namibia. He also refereed the match between Mauritania and Algeria in the same tournament.

On 1 June 2025 in Cairo, he officiated the second leg of the CAF Champions League final between Pyramids FC (Egypt) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)—the first time a Somali has refereed that final. Later that year, in November 2025, CAF awarded him the best male referee of the year in Africa. He was also among the referees at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

2026 World Cup and denial of entry to the United States

In April 2026, FIFA included Artan on the official roster of referees for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He became the first Somali to be named to the tournament. Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports and President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud congratulated him, calling him an example for the new generation.

In June 2026, when he arrived by aircraft from Istanbul at Miami International Airport, he was questioned for an extended period and denied entry to the country. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated he was inadmissible due to "vetting concerns" but provided no details. FIFA confirmed he would not participate in the tournament. Somalia is among the countries affected by entry restrictions under the Trump administration.

An unnamed U.S. official told ESPN that the denial was based on "alleged links to individuals suspected of being associated with terrorist organizations." Artan told media that he was questioned for many hours about an armed group. The U.S. government did not publicly release evidence it shared with the public. When he returned to Mogadishu, many people welcomed him at the airport.

UEFA Super Cup 2026

On 11 June 2026, UEFA—after consultation with CAF—appointed Artan as referee for the 2026 Super Cup, which was played on 12 August in Salzburg, Austria, between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. According to UEFA, he was the first non-European to referee that match. CAF President Patrice Motsepe thanked UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin for the opportunity.

The match ended with a 2–1 victory for Paris Saint-Germain. The event raised Somalia's profile in international refereeing and sparked media discussion about U.S. travel policy and its effect on officials in international competitions.