ROME (ITALPRESS) – “I’ve been lucky, but I’ve worked hard to get this far, and I’m really proud of it. As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but that didn’t stop me from pursuing my dreams.” Omar Artan won’t soon forget the last 18 months. In this short span, he became the first Somali to referee an African Champions League final, before receiving the 2025 African Referee of the Year award and subsequently being selected for the World Cup, although he was subsequently denied entry to the United States.
But he will have some consolation: UEFA has given him the opportunity to become the first non-European referee to officiate the Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa. “It’s been a very difficult period,” he admits. “Many people have shown me solidarity, because when you work for so many years to achieve a goal and then you can’t achieve it, it’s really hard. I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve received from around the world.”
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
