UEFA appointed 34-year-old Somali referee Omar
Artan, CAF Men's Referee of the Year in 2025, to officiate the August 12, 2026
Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg's Red Bull Arena.
This marks the first time a non-European has
refereed the competition in its 53-year history, following UEFA-CAF cooperation
on referee development.
Artan faced U.S. entry denial for the 2026
World Cup due to vetting concerns over alleged terror ties, which he denies
amid no public evidence; UEFA president Ceferin praised his experience from top
African matches.