The selection of the referee for the UEFA Super Cup intensifies UEFA-FIFA tensions.

Omar Artan is set to become the first non-European referee to officiate a UEFA Super Cup match when PSG faces Aston Villa. This milestone comes as the Somali referee opens up about his World Cup shock, while tensions between UEFA and FIFA have entered a new chapter.

The UEFA Super Cup match between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg is drawing attention not only because of the clash between the Champions League and Europa League winners.

As the main referee, Omar Artan is also preparing to step into one of the most memorable matches of his career. The Somali referee will become the first non-European in history to officiate a UEFA Super Cup final. However, it is precisely what Artan experienced at the World Cup that makes this milestone even more noteworthy.

Just a few weeks ago, this referee was one of the most controversial figures at the tournament in the United States. He was originally on the list of referees for the World Cup, but ultimately could not participate after being denied entry by the host country, the US.

FIFA later confirmed that it would still pay Artan the full World Cup fee. However, the world's most powerful football body also emphasized that it did not interfere with the host country's immigration process and essentially accepted the US decision, which led to the handling being seen as lacking firmness in protecting a referee chosen by FIFA itself.

For referee Artan, it was a major shock after years of pursuing the goal of appearing on the biggest stage in world football.

"It was a very difficult period. Many people showed me sympathy. When someone has worked for years to achieve something, but then cannot fulfill it, it is truly challenging,", Artan shared before the Super Cup match.

The Somali referee also said he particularly appreciated the support received from the international football community during the difficult period. Artan is not a stranger to African football. He officiated the 2025 CAF Champions League final and was rated as one of the continent's top referees last season.

UEFA selected Artan not long after the World Cup incident, a move that received widespread support in the football world. At the same time, it was seen as a notable message amid the growing disagreements between UEFA and FIFA.

Notably, from the time of Artan's appointment until the Super Cup, tensions between the two most powerful football organizations continued to escalate. UEFA is among those strongly opposing FIFA President Gianni Infantino after his controversial plan to sell interests in the World Cup. The plan was later abandoned, but the debates surrounding the governance of FIFA have continued to widen the gap between the two sides.

In that context, the image of a referee who was unable to officiate at the World Cup but later was entrusted by UEFA to control one of the most prestigious matches in European football inevitably evokes associations with the power struggle behind the scenes.

However, Artan himself is now focused only on the professional aspect. He revealed that he has spent a lot of time studying PSG and Aston Villa to prepare for his first assignment in a European club match.

"The standards in Europe are fantastic, and the football they play is of very, very high quality,", Artan said.

On the other side, PSG also has the chance to create a special milestone. The Champions League winners could become the second team in the modern era to successfully defend the UEFA Super Cup, after Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017.