Somali referee Omar Artan was banned from entering the U.S. earlier this summer -Credit:Alexander Hassenstein, Getty Images Somalian soccer referee Omar Artan delivered a powerful five-word message aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump after making history by officiating the UEFA Super Cup. Artan etched his name in the record books as the first non-European ever to officiate the Super Cup, taking charge of Wednesday's game between Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria. The 34-year-old had been set to referee matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America earlier this summer, but was denied entry into the United States following an hours-long interrogation upon landing at Miami International Airport via Istanbul, Turkey, on June 6. Despite holding a diplomatic passport and a valid visa, Artan was turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which initially cited "vetting concerns" as justification for barring him from the country.
Kylian Mbappe drops World Cup truth bomb after absurd third-place loss to England Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments -Credit:Image Photo Agency, Getty Images The incident sparked international outrage and an overwhelming wave of support for the Somalian official, including from former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as per The Mirror US. Shortly after PSG's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday, Artan inscribed a brief message on a souvenir ball, with UEFA sharing images of the moment on its official X account. "This is my World Cup." Prior to the match, Artan openly acknowledged that he endured "a very tough period," following his exclusion from soccer's most prestigious tournament, which takes place once every four years. UEFA, soccer's governing body in Europe, responded by stepping in and inviting Artan to officiate the Super Cup, an annual fixture between the Champions League and Europa League winners from the previous season that serves as the symbolic kickoff to the new club campaign. He described the call from UEFA, which he received just days after the devastating World Cup news, as a "very, very happy moment." PSG star Desire Doue, who provided a goal and assist in Wednesday's match, told ESPN, "It's really super he was able to referee this big match." To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE Despite missing out on the chance to officiate at the World Cup, Artan, who primarily referees in African club and international leagues and tournaments, can now claim he presided over a final between two of Europe's most prominent clubs. The exact reasoning behind Artan's denied entry remains unclear following a series of ambiguous statements from Trump administration officials. Andrew Giuliani, a close ally of Trump who served as head of the White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup, stated that Artan had been "talking to some bad people, very recently, about actions here in the United States." A Trump administration official further indicated that CBP turned him away because he was "associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations." The development followed Trump's decision in January 2026 to suspend immigrant visa processing for Somalia — Artan's home country — along with 74 other nations. Despite this, Artan had secured the necessary clearance to travel to the U.S. and officiate at the World Cup, only to be turned away at the border.