Omar Artan is expected to referee in the Egyptian Premier League soon

Somali rule gets a lot of new opportunities.

Africa Today at 15:35

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Omar Artan is expected to referee in the Egyptian Premier League soon

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Word has reached the Egyptian football authorities of a formal application, and talks are reportedly in progress, though any move would need the green light from the Egyptian Football Association.

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Omar Artan, a name well recognised across African football, has apparently signalled his wish to take charge of matches in the Egyptian Premier League. The Somali official's bid has supposedly been passed on to Egyptian football officials and is now the subject of ongoing discussions. Even so, whether the plan goes ahead depends entirely on the Egyptian Football Association's consent.

A FIFA-listed international referee since 2018, Artan has steadily built a reputation as one of the continent's top match officials. He took charge of the second leg of the 2024–2025 CAF Champions League final and has also officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. In 2025, he received the title of African Referee of the Year.

Despite being refused entry to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Somali referee was later invited by UEFA to oversee the Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August. In doing so, he became the first African referee to take charge of a UEFA fixture.