UEFA has appointed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, scheduled for 12 August in Salzburg. The match will see UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain face UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa FC.

The appointment comes after Artan was unable to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, having been included in FIFA's list of match officials but prevented from entering the United States.

The decision was made within the framework of a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between UEFA and CAF, designed to foster cooperation across football — including in the area of refereeing.

A referee of the highest calibre

Artan has been on the FIFA international list since 2018 and has built a reputation as one of the finest officials on the planet. Among his most prominent assignments was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final. His performances earned him the CAF Men's Referee of the Year Award 2025.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin praised the appointment, saying: