Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali referee Omar Abdiqadir Artan has been appointed to officiate at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, becoming the first Somali selected for the tournament and one of only three African referees chosen.

Artan, 29, will serve as a center referee at the competition, which runs from late September to mid-October 2025. He is the only official from sub-Saharan Africa named to the roster, alongside Morocco’s Jalal Jayed and Algeria’s Youcef Gamouh.

The appointment marks another milestone in Artan’s career. He became the first Somali referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, handling the tense Group E opener between Tunisia and Namibia. Earlier this year, he took charge of the African Champions League final in Cairo, where Egypt’s Pyramids FC secured a 3-2 aggregate victory over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. His composed performance in that high-pressure match earned widespread praise.

CAF also named assistant referees Gilbert Cheruiyot of Kenya, Abelmiro Montenegro of São Tomé and Príncipe, Khalil Hassani of Tunisia, Eric Ayimavo of Benin, and Moroccans Lahsen Azgaou and Mostafa Akarkad for the youth tournament.

Artan’s international résumé includes assignments at the CAF Under-20 and Under-23 tournaments, the 2023 CAF Under-23 Championship final between Egypt and Morocco, and the CAF Champions League semifinal between Egypt’s Al Ahly and Tunisia’s Esperance. He also refereed three matches in the 2021 World Cup qualifiers in Qatar and a 2023 qualifier between Eswatini and Libya in South Africa for the 2026 campaign.

Artan is also the only Somali referee certified to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, having trained and applied the technology in African competitions.

Former Somali international Mohamed Ahmed Deysane said Artan’s rise reflects both determination and national pride. “This is an honour for Somali refereeing. Omar’s determination has lifted the Somali name on the world stage. In my time, no Somali referee reached this level, even when the country was peaceful and football enjoyed both government and public support,” Deysane told the BBC.

Somalia Football Federation president Ali Mohamed has described Cartan as “incorruptible and deeply committed to protecting the dignity and fairness of the sport.” Young Somalis across the country have increasingly pursued refereeing, inspired by his rise, according to referee officials.

Artan was born in 1995 in the Buulo Hubeey neighbourhood of Mogadishu’s Wadajir district. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in the capital before studying development studies at university. He has credited persistence and continuous learning for his success and says he hopes to one day officiate at matches in the senior FIFA World Cup.