Artan is one of only three center referees chosen from Africa and the sole representative from Sub-Saharan Africa at the tournament.
By Nuri Aden
Source: TRT Africa
Somalia football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has carved his name into football history by becoming the first Somali referee appointed to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.
Artan first broke barriers at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2024, where he became the first Somali to officiate a continental final.
Artan took charge of the opening Group A clash at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team thrashed debutants New Caledonia 9-1 at Estadio El Teniente on Monday.
The U.S. set new national records for both goals scored and margin of victory at a U-20 World Cup, while captain Benjamin Cremaschi netted a first-half hat trick — only the third American to do so in tournament history. The USA also became just the fourth team ever to score nine goals in a single U-20 World Cup match.
