Somali referee Omar Artan will become the first non-European official to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup when he officiates the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria, on Wednesday.
The appointment follows a cooperation agreement signed this year between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). CAF President Patrice Motsepe described the selection as a significant honor for African refereeing.
Artan was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport on June 6 despite holding a valid visa, preventing him from officiating at the World Cup. A US official cited suspected ties to members of a terrorist organization as the reason for the refusal. Somalia is among 12 countries subject to US travel restrictions. Artan will be assisted by Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed of Djibouti and Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe of Kenya.