Somali referee Omar Artan appointed to UEFA Super Cup final

Artan will be the first African referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup final on Aug. 12. Somali soccer referee

Somali referee Omar Artan who was barred by the United States from the World Cup has been picked for the showcase UEFA Super Cup game in August.

Omar Artan to officiate PSG v Aston Villa in August ‘Football is made to connect people,’ says Uefa head Omar Artan, the Somali referee prevented from officiating at the World Cup, will take charge of the Super Cup in August, Uefa has announced. Artan found himself at the centre of controversy after being denied entry to the US, with the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, suggesting he was powerless to overrule Donald Trump’s administration. Somalia is one of 12 countries on a travel ban list introduced by the US president last year. Continue reading...

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, was on Thursday named to officiate UEFA's Super Cup, European football's governing body announced.His appointment to referee the Super Cup "is a great honour for Omar Artan and for African referees and is also an excellent example of football, bringing together and uniting people from Africa and Europe and worldwide", Motsepe said.