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.

Rising career

For Artan, the assignment represents another milestone in a rapidly rising career. He had already made history by officiating Egypt’s Pyramids FC victory over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2024 CAF Confederation Cup final, a first for a Somali referee at continental level.

At the U-20 World Cup, Artan was supported by Kenyan assistant referee Gilbert Cheruiyot and Abelmiro Montenegro of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Notably, Artan is one of only three center referees chosen from Africa and the sole representative from Sub-Saharan Africa at the tournament, which runs from September 27 to October 19 in Chile.

His appointment underlines not only personal achievement but also a breakthrough moment for Somali football on the global stage.