Omar Artan is set to become the first referee from outside Europe to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup when Paris Saint-Germain face Aston Villa in Salzburg on Wednesday, marking the latest milestone in his extraordinary rise from Somalia to the international spotlight.
Artan’s path to the top
- Now 34, Artan has emerged as one of Africa’s finest officials. He became the first Somali referee to oversee a CAF Champions League final and was later crowned CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025.
- His appointment for the Salzburg fixture gives him a major platform to highlight the quality of African refereeing on one of football’s biggest stages.
- In an interview with UEFA, Artan discussed the personal hardships that influenced his development. His father died when he was young, and he also spent part of his childhood separated from his mother. He believes those experiences built the resilience that has supported him throughout his career.
- Artan originally hoped to become a professional player, but a minor injury brought that ambition to an end and opened the door to refereeing.
- What first appeared to be a substitute for playing soon became a genuine vocation. As his knowledge of football grew, so did his appreciation of the responsibility and complexity involved in officiating.
- He regards detailed preparation as a foundation of effective refereeing. Officials, he said, need to examine opposing teams before matches just as players do, studying their tactics, style and the conduct of individual players.
- Artan also emphasised that referees must do more than memorise the Laws of the Game. Continued education and improvement are essential throughout an official’s career.
Turning disappointment into progress
His rise has not been without setbacks. Artan was chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he could not take part because he was unable to enter the United States.
Instead of letting that disappointment halt his progress, he continued to work and ultimately earned the historic opportunity to referee the UEFA Super Cup.
Artan acknowledged CAF’s important contribution to his development and called the UEFA appointment a major moment for referees from Africa.
He sees the assignment as more than a landmark in his own career. It will allow him to show that African officials are capable of performing and succeeding at the highest level of international football.
His route from Somalia to a prestigious European appointment also carries a wider message for referees who encounter barriers at the beginning of their careers.
Artan encouraged them to stay dedicated, keep expanding their knowledge and avoid allowing difficult circumstances to define what they can achieve.
“Don’t ever stop dreaming,” he said.
Those words will carry particular weight on Wednesday, when Artan steps onto the field in Salzburg as the first non-European referee selected to officiate the UEFA Super Cup.
