This was my World Cup: Somali referee Artan's emotional message after UEFA Super Cup final

Referee Omar Artan takes the pitch prior UEFA Super Cup football match between PSG and Aston Villa at Red Bull Arena (Stadion Salzburg) in Salzburg, Austria on August 12, 2026. [Isa Terli / AFP]

For Omar Artan, Wednesday night's UEFA Super Cup was never simply another assignment.

The 34-year-old Somali referee walked onto the pitch at Salzburg's Red Bull Arena carrying the weight of a missed World Cup opportunity, but left having created a piece of football history of his own.

Artan became the first referee from outside Europe to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup, overseeing the meeting between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa.

PSG eventually prevailed 2-1, but for Artan, the significance of the evening extended far beyond the result. After the final whistle, he left a deeply personal message on the official match ball:

“This was my World Cup...” The handwritten note captured what the occasion meant to a referee who had endured a turbulent journey to one of the biggest appointments of his career.

Artan had originally earned a place on FIFA's referee panel for the World Cup and travelled to Miami for mandatory preparations ahead of the tournament. Instead of making it to the global showpiece, however, his journey was interrupted at Miami International Airport, where US Customs and Border Protection denied him entry following an 11-hour immigration interview.

A US State Department official subsequently cited security vetting concerns and alleged links to terrorist organisations, allegations that Artan rejected. The decision sparked criticism from human rights advocates and sports figures, while triggering an angry reaction in Somalia, where Artan was embraced as a national hero. His World Cup dream appeared to have been taken away before the tournament had even begun.

But European football offered him another stage.

Following a landmark cooperation agreement between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin invited Artan to officiate the Super Cup in Salzburg. Čeferin described him as an “excellent official” and argued that his ability deserved recognition on the biggest stages of the game.

The appointment consequently transformed what could have been a story of disappointment into one of redemption. Artan seized the opportunity.

Against two elite European sides, he produced a composed performance throughout the 90 minutes, commanding the contest with authority and ensuring the historic appointment was about more than symbolism.

UEFA later shared a photograph of the match ball bearing Artan's handwritten tribute.

“This was my World Cup”

A special #SuperCup souvenir from Omar Artan ?⚽️? pic.twitter.com/7bhpcwPIVA — UEFA (@UEFA) August 13, 2026

“This was my World Cup. Thanks to everyone who made this possible. Especially to UEFA for giving me the trust and opportunity and for welcoming me to their continent with open arms. My own confederation, CAF, for the support and making this possible,” he wrote.

UEFA described the ball simply as a “special Super Cup souvenir from Omar Artan.” For the Somali official, however, it represented considerably more.

It was a reminder that while one door to the world's biggest football tournament had closed, another had opened on an equally historic stage.

Artan arrived in Salzburg carrying the distinction of being the 2025 CAF Referee of the Year. He departed with another landmark attached to his name, the first non-European official to referee the UEFA Super Cup. His story also offered a rare demonstration of football's ability to create bridges between confederations.

With UEFA and CAF strengthening their cooperation, Artan's appointment became an important symbol of that relationship, while giving an African referee an opportunity rarely afforded to officials from outside Europe.

For a referee who had spent months dealing with disappointment and controversy, the Super Cup became his opportunity to answer on the pitch. And his message on the match ball perhaps said it all.

He may have missed his World Cup, but in Salzburg, Omar Artan found his moment.