Somali referee Omar Artan said he is “really proud” to be officiating the UEFA Super Cup final after a “very tough period” that saw him barred from refereeing at this summer’s World Cup in North America.

Artan, 34, had been selected as one of 52 match officials for the tournament by FIFA, global football’s governing body, but was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport on June 6. The Trump administration claimed he had “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”

He was subsequently returned to Istanbul, Turkey, before heading back to Somalia. The Athletic reported that he would be paid his tournament fee in full by FIFA.

UEFA announced on June 11 that Artan would referee the Super Cup between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa. The match will be held in Salzburg, Austria on Wednesday.

Artan is set to become the first non-European to officiate the game, with UEFA describing him as “one of the world’s top referees”.

Speaking prior to taking charge of the match, Artan said that he was thankful for the support that he received after being blocked from entering the U.S.

“It was a very tough period,” he said. “A lot of people have sympathy for me, because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging. I really appreciate the support I received throughout the world, though; I’m so grateful.”

“I was lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here and I’m really proud. As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my dreams.”

“When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment. There’s a big Somali community in Europe and in Austria, and they are over the moon with me officiating a match like this.”

After being denied entry, Artan told the New York Times that he “had the right papers” and “the right visa” before traveling to the U.S. and he also had accreditation as a match official by FIFA.

When contacted by The Athletic, a senior administration official at the White House said: “The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country — full stop.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also asked about the situation at the time.

“It’s true we are confronted with challenges we’d rather not confront.” he said. “We have to deal with them. Sometimes we can solve them, and sometimes we can’t.”

Regarding Artan specifically, Infantino said: “It is unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia. But again, we don’t control everything.”

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven says it is “clear the direction the club wants to go in” after signing a new long-term deal with Spurs.

The Netherlands international joined from Wolfsburg in 2023 originally on a six-year agreement until 2029.

BBC Sport understands Van de Ven was considering his future in north London before the appointment of Roberto de Zerbi in March, which proved crucial in the 25-year-old’s decision to extend his stay in north London.

Van de Ven helped Spurs win the Europa League in 2025 and also captained the side during the final six matches of last season as they escaped relegation from the Premier League.

“I’ve always loved Spurs, from the first day I stepped in here,” said Van de Ven.

“I love the club, I love the fans and I’ve developed really well here. It’s clear the direction the club wants to go in and I want to be a part of it. I’m excited about what’s to come.”

Spurs boss De Zerbi described Van de Ven as “one of the best centre-backs in Europe and an important player for us”.

“We are building something strong here, and players like Micky are an important part of that future,” the Italian manager said.

Van de Ven has made 96 appearances in all competitions since arriving from the Bundesliga and won 24 caps for the Netherlands, who he represented at the World Cup this summer.

Tottenham have finished 17th in back-to-back seasons and narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of 2025-26.

But they have spent £237m this summer, including a club record £100m to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle.