Somali referee Omar Artan seeks to officiate in Egyptian Premier League

Somali referee Omar Artan may join the Egyptian Premier League for the current season following a formal request from the Somali Football Federation. Artan, recognized as the top referee in Africa by CAF, is seeking to officiate in Egypt after being denied entry to the United States for the 2026 World Cup due to what U.S. authorities described as “security threats” related to suspected terrorist affiliations.

Issam Abdel Fattah, head of the Egyptian Referees Committee, expressed initial welcome to the idea, noting that the Egyptian side has no objections and will coordinate with relevant authorities to finalize legal procedures. Artan has a distinguished international profile, having recently officiated the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.

However, the proposal has met with criticism from international referee Mohamed Adel. Adel argued that bringing in a foreign elite official could negatively impact the opportunities of local Egyptian referees and create logistical complexities regarding his eligibility to officiate matches for major clubs participating in continental African competitions.