Omar Artan became the first non-European referee to officiate a UEFA Super Cup in 2026.
The Somali official was appointed as the lead referee for Paris Saint-Germain versus Aston Villa at Red Bull Arena. His appointment was notable because UEFA’s Super Cup had traditionally been handled by referees from European associations.
Artan’s selection followed a memorandum of understanding between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football. The agreement created a framework for greater exchange and cooperation between the two confederations, and the Super Cup appointment became a prominent example.
Artan was supported by assistant referees Liban Ahmed of Djibouti and Stephen Yiembe of Kenya. Marco Di Bello of Italy served as the video assistant referee. Paris won the match 2–1, with Artan overseeing the fixture that also featured a record-setting teenage scorer.