referee

Somali referee goes from World Cup snub to European final World Cup

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:12 June 2026
Post last modified:13 June 2026

In a remarkable twist just days after being excluded from the 2026 World Cup, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been appointed to officiate the UEFA Super Cup. The match will be between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August in Salzburg, Austria. Historic appointment for Artan Artan will become the first Somali referee to take charge of a European Super Cup match. This appointment marks a major milestone in a career. He has risen rapidly to prominence across African and international football. His UEFA appointment comes in the wake of the controversy over his absence from the World Cup, where…

Washington justifies the exclusion of Somali referee and Iranian officials ahead of the World Cup

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:10 June 2026
Post last modified:10 June 2026

Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House team tasked with organising the 2026 World Cup, defended the US authorities’ decision to bar Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan and a number of administrative officials from the Iranian national team from entering the United States, stressing that these measures were taken for “very valid reasons”, according to AFP, reporting on a seminar organised by the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. The comments come at a time of growing questions regarding the security measures taken by the US in the days leading up to the start of the tournament, which it is co-hosting…

Somali referee dropped from World Cup after US visa denial

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:9 June 2026
Post last modified:10 June 2026

Somalia’s top referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, has been dramatically ruled out of the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, ending what would have been a landmark moment for Somali football. The 34‑year‑old, voted Africa’s best referee in 2025, was set to become the first Somali official to take charge at a men’s World Cup finals. Instead, he was forced to fly back to Istanbul after being turned away at Miami International Airport. FIFA confirmed the decision late on Monday, acknowledging that one of Africa’s most respected officials would not be part of the tournament after US…

Somali referee refused entry to settler colonial US

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:9 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

With just days to go before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the settler colonial US have been denying entry to fans, players, and officials – this time to Somali referee Omar Artan. At a time when all eyes should be on the stadiums and the national teams, some of the World Cup’s most prominent stories have begun at airports and border checkpoints. Somali referee turned away Somali referee Omar Abdulqadir Artan was set for a historic moment in his career after being selected by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup, making him one of the most prominent African referees…