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Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who has been ruled out of officiating at the World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, has been appointed to take charge of next month's UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, Reuters reported.
Artan, 34, had been named among the match officials for the June 11-July 19 World Cup but was forced to miss the tournament after U.S. authorities declined his entry despite him holding a valid visa. European football's governing body said on Thursday that Artan's appointment for the Super Cup followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is part of a recently signed cooperation agreement between the two organisations. Artan, Africa's referee of the year in 2025, had been set to become the first Somali to officiate at soccer's global showpiece, but was turned back by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The US President Donald Trump's administration said on Tuesday that the US had denied Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to suspected members of terror organisations. "What happened has happened, and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me," Artan told reporters after arriving in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, and urged his supporters to stand behind their country, as quoted by Reuters. FIFA had previously announced the appointment of 52 referees and 88 assistant referees for the World Cup 2026. (ANI)
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