The 2026 US-Mexico World Cup has already begun, but Somali-born referee Omar Altan was denied entry into the United States before the tournament started, losing his chance to officiate the World Cup. Although Altan missed the ‘biggest stage’, he soon received a new opportunity from European football governing bodies.
According to a report by the BBC on June 11, the Union of European Football Associations announced on the 10th that after consultations with the African Football Confederation, it has decided to appoint Altan as the referee for the European Super Cup to be held in August. He will become the first non-European referee to officiate at this event.
UEFA President Alexander Ceferin said in a statement: "Omar Altan is an excellent, young and experienced referee. He has proven his abilities in the highest levels of football competitions within the African Football Confederation. The meaning of football is to connect people with each other. UEFA wishes to express its respect for Omar and his outstanding refereeing skills, which have earned him this nomination."
Chevlin said that this decision received enthusiastic support from Patrice Moettepe, the president of the non-football governing body.
Motepepe also issued a statement saying: "Omar Al-Tan is proud of Somalia and Africa as a whole. He was named the Best Referee of 2025 by the FIFA Association and has been appointed to officiate World Cups. This is an acknowledgment of his world-class refereeing skills and the international respect he enjoys. I am very grateful to my friend Chevin, who helped arrange for Al-Tan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup."
Mottespe said that this appointment is "a testament to how football unites Europe, Africa, and even the whole world."
On June 10th local time, Somali referee Altan was denied entry into the United States and returned to Mogadishu. IC photo
The European Super Cup is a tournament organized by UEFA every August. The match between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League is considered the opening match of the European club competitions for the new season. This year's European Super Cup is scheduled to take place in Salzburg, Austria on August 12th local time. The match between the Champions League winner, Paris Saint-Germain, and the Europa League winner, Aston Villa, will be held.
The BBC noted that although Altan missed the biggest stage of the World Cup, he will become the first non-European referee to officiate a European Super Cup match. UEFA has contacted the Austrian football association and is confident that Altan will not encounter any problems upon entering Austria.
Altan was originally one of the 52 referees selected for this World Cup in Mexico and the United States. He was also one of only seven African referees included in the selection. However, on June 8th local time, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that Altan was denied entry into the United States after he arrived at Miami International Airport.
On the 10th, a US government official stated that Altan was suspected of having 'connections with suspected terrorist organizations', and therefore was prohibited from entering the United States.
US President Donald Trump has imposed strict travel and visa restrictions on Somalia. In December 2025, Trump made "xenophobic remarks" at the White House, calling Somali immigrants "trash" and stating that Somalia is "not even a country." Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense worked with the Somali government to launch multiple air strikes against armed targets within Somalia.
Altan denied the accusations made by American officials. He told the American newspaper The New York Times that American border officials questioned him about his relationship with the Somali extremist group Al-Shabaab, but he knew nothing about that organization. Altan emphasized, "I have all the necessary documents, and my visa is legal. I am just a referee who strives to achieve his dreams. My greatest dream in life is to come to the World Cup."
According to BBC analysis, when Altan was excluded from the World Cup by the United States, UEFA offered him the opportunity to officiate in the European Super Cup. It is hard to say this was a coincidence. In April of this year, UEFA signed an agreement with FIFA aimed at promoting football development on both continents, which included providing opportunities for African referees. UEFA may have wanted to take this opportunity to pressure FIFA.
After being denied entry by the United States, Altan returned to Somalia on June 10 local time. The Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamad and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Baye met with Altan. Baye praised him, saying that he “has won the hearts of millions of people and has secured a place in history.”
