UEFA appoints Somali referee that was denied US entry over alleged terror links to officiate big game

A Somali World Cup referee who was barred from entering the United States owed to an alleged "association with suspected members of panic organizations" has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup.

Omar Artan was denied introduction into the U.S. days earlier the tourney kicked disconnected successful North America by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aft being flagged for "derogatory" information, a Trump medication authoritative told Fox News Digital.

Artan was denied introduction astatine Miami International Airport connected Saturday implicit "vetting concerns," CBP said successful a statement. He was reportedly issued a visa to the U.S. past week, according to the Somali Embassy successful Kenya that processed it. He was acceptable to conscionable with different referees for grooming astatine their basal successful Miami.

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The authoritative FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand logo appears connected the matchball during the Group B lucifer betwixt Australia and Ireland astatine Stadium Australia successful Sydney connected July 20, 2023. (Joe Prior/Visionhaus)

UEFA, though, cited Artan's officiating skills arsenic the crushed wherefore helium volition beryllium connected the transportation for the tournament.

"Omar Artan is an fantabulous young but already experienced referee, who has proven himself astatine the highest contention level of the Confederation of African Football," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said successful a statement. "Football is made to link people, and UEFA wants to amusement its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him specified a prestigious nomination. I americium grateful to my person CAF President Patrice Motsepe for supporting enthusiastically our initiative."

CAF president Patrice Motsepe added, "Omar Artan has made Somalia and the full radical of the African Continent, highly proud. His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his assignment arsenic a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a designation of his world-class refereeing quality and the planetary respect that helium enjoys. I americium precise thankful to my friend, Aleksander Čeferin for enabling Omar Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup 2026 match. This is simply a large honour for Omar Artan and for African referees and is besides an fantabulous illustration of football, bringing unneurotic and uniting radical from Africa and Europe and worldwide."

Referee Omar Artan of Somalia is confronted by players aft calling a punishment footwear during the CAF Champions League last betwixt AS FAR Rabat and Mamelodi Sundowns successful Rabat, Morocco, connected May 24, 2026. (Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP)

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A Trump medication authoritative said that Artan "was refused admittance and fixed migration forms that supply the conception of instrumentality utilized to implicit an expedited removal nether 8235 of the INA. President Trump's medication volition not let immoderate information menace to participate our state — afloat stop."

He returned location to Somalia connected Wednesday and thanked supporters.

"I committedness you, God willing, that I volition be the adjacent one," helium said. "I privation the Somali nationalist to instrumentality comfortableness successful this and stay confident."

Somalia is 1 of astir 3 twelve countries subject to question restrictions under the Trump medication arsenic it has focused connected amerciable immigration. Artan was acceptable to beryllium the archetypal referee from Somalia to officiate astatine the World Cup and is among the apical referees successful Africa.

Referee Omar Artan is welcomed by supporters upon his accomplishment successful Mogadishu, Somalia, connected June 10, 2026, aft being denied introduction to the United States. (Farah Abdi Warsameh/Associated Press)

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The Super Cup volition instrumentality spot connected Aug. 12 betwixt UEFA Champions League champion Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League champion Aston Villa.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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