Somali Referee Denied US Entry for World Cup to Officiate PSG vs Aston Villa
Theo Al Jazeera English
Somali referee Omar Artan, denied US entry for World Cup duty, will officiate the UEFA Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa. The appointment follows his exclusion from the tournament and serves as a political gesture by UEFA amid tensions with FIFA.
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied the chance to officiate at the World Cup after being refused entry into the United States, will take charge of the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Before the World Cup kicked off in June, the 34-year-old referee suddenly became the center of media attention when he was denied entry at Miami International Airport, despite being on FIFA's list of referees for the tournament.
“It was a very difficult time,” Artan said in an interview published on UEFA's website.
“Many people showed sympathy for me, because when someone has worked for years and is expected to do something, and then cannot do it, that is very challenging.”
A US State Department official told AFP that the referee “had connections with people suspected of being members of a terrorist organization,” which “made him ineligible for entry into the United States.”
Artan denied the allegations, and his case sparked outrage in Somalia, where he was welcomed as a hero upon his return.
“It is unfortunate that this happened to a referee from Somalia,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the time, adding: “We don't control everything.”
In response, UEFA, the governing body of European football, announced it would appoint Artan to referee the UEFA Super Cup, where Champions League winners PSG face Europa League winners Aston Villa.
“I am lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here, and I am really proud,” Artan told UEFA.
“As you can imagine, I grew up in difficult circumstances, but that did not stop me from pursuing my dreams.”
As the first Somali to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, Artan will now referee his first match in Europe.
“Having adventures, creating memories, and learning new things is always great,” he added. “When I received this call, it was a very, very happy moment for me and my family.”
To justify its decision to appoint Artan for the Super Cup, UEFA cited an agreement signed in late April with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to encourage cooperation between the two confederations.
But it is also a political gesture by UEFA, which frequently criticizes FIFA, and carries greater significance amid the conflict between the European body and Infantino over the past two weeks over the abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investors.
The plan's collapse was largely due to a UEFA-led uprising, as the organization continued to threaten a boycott of FIFA competitions—including the World Cup—in an effort to force Infantino to resign.
