UEFA names Omar Artan in landmark 2026 Super Cup officiating team

Omar Abdulkadir Artan will referee the 2026 UEFA Super Cup after UEFA confirmed an officiating team that represents a significant moment for African football on the international stage.

The Somali official has been appointed as the central referee for the competition, in what marks an unprecedented development in the history of the UEFA Super Cup. His selection is being seen as a strong signal of greater openness and international recognition for football officials from the African continent.

Artan will be supported by a multinational team of assistant referees. Djiboutian official Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed and Kenyan referee Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe will work on the touchlines, completing the on-field trio.

The group, described as experienced in handling major international matches, will be responsible for managing the action during the game. Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovic has also been included in the team and will serve as the fourth official.

The appointment places Artan at the centre of a carefully assembled officiating line-up that combines officials from Africa and Europe. UEFA’s decision to name a Somali referee as the central official gives the 2026 edition of the Super Cup particular significance beyond the match itself.

European experience for VAR

The video assistant referee operation will be led by Italian official Marco Di Bello, who has been appointed as the main VAR referee.

He will be assisted by Spain’s Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez, who will take the role of assistant VAR. Their involvement provides the video review team with specialists from major European leagues and completes the cross-continental composition of the officiating group.

UEFA has therefore brought together officials from Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Slovenia, Italy and Spain for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup. Artan and his assistants will oversee proceedings on the pitch, while Obrenovic, Di Bello and Cuadra Fernandez will provide support from their respective roles.

The appointment of Artan as the central referee is the defining element of UEFA’s announcement. It places a Somali official in charge of one of European club football’s leading fixtures and underlines the growing international dimension of the competition’s refereeing appointments.

Alongside Artan, Ahmed and Yiembe will form the on-field support team, with Obrenovic acting as fourth official. Di Bello and Cuadra Fernandez will handle the VAR responsibilities, ensuring that the full officiating structure is in place for the match.

UEFA’s confirmation of the appointments marks a notable step in the organisation of the 2026 Super Cup and gives the fixture a distinctive officiating identity, led by Omar Abdulkadir Artan.