Somalia’s president Hassan Mohamud has congratulated referee Omar Artan after FIFA named him among the 52 officials for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Artan, 34, becomes the first Somali to officiate at the global finals. Mohamud praised his professionalism and said he had become “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis.”
Since becoming a FIFA referee in 2018, Artan has broken new ground—officiating in Somalia’s league, the CAF Champions League, and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. He was crowned CAF’s best men’s referee in 2025.
His appointment comes as Somalia’s national team eyes its own breakthrough, having reached the group stage of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers for the first time.
