Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate CECAFA Kagame Cup final

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will take charge of the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup final, adding another landmark achievement to a career that has made him one of Africa’s most recognised match officials.

Artan, who was named the 2025 CAF Men’s Best Referee at the CAF Awards in Morocco, was confirmed by the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) as the man in the middle for the tournament’s decisive match on August 7 at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

His appointment is a proud moment for Somali football. Although Somalia’s representatives, league champions Mogadishu City, were eliminated from the competition, Artan’s rise continues to provide inspiration for a country seeking greater recognition on the continental football stage.

The referee has already broken new ground. He became the first Somali official selected for a FIFA World Cup, although he was unable to participate after being denied entry by the United States' administration.

To be assisted by Kenyan, Djiboutian

Months earlier, he had made history by becoming the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA tournament when he took charge of matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where Morocco were crowned champions.

At the CECAFA Kagame Cup final, Artan will be supported by assistants Liban Abdulrazack of Djibouti and Eliezer Stephen Yiembe of Kenya.

CECAFA confirmed the appointment in a statement, saying: “2025 CAF Men’s Best Referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will officiate the final of the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026. The Somali referee, together with two assistants Liban Abdulrazack (Djibouti) and Eliezer Stephen Yiembe (Kenya), will handle the CECAFA Kagame Cup final at the Amahoro Stadium on August 7.”

The tournament’s semi-finals feature a regional mix of contenders, with South Sudanese side Jamus facing Rwanda’s Rayon Sports, while Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC take on Kenya’s Gor Mahia.

Remarkable journey

For Artan, the final is the latest chapter in a remarkable journey from Somali football to the highest levels of African officiating.

The 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup marked the competition’s return to Rwanda after a seven-year absence. The tournament began in July and brought together 12 clubs divided into three groups, with matches played at the Amahoro Stadium and Kigali Pele Stadium.

Rwanda hosted the competition with two representatives; league champions APR FC and runners-up Rayon Sports, while President Paul Kagame continued his role as tournament patron and sponsor.

Established in 1974 by CECAFA, the regional championship was renamed the CECAFA Kagame Cup in 2002 after President Kagame became its sponsor. The tournament remains one of East and Central Africa’s most important club competitions.

Increased involvement in football

The winners of the 2026 edition will receive $30,000, while the runners-up will earn $20,000 and the third-placed team $10,000.

Somalia’s growing presence in regional football has also been reflected at an administrative level.

In February 2026, Somali Football Federation (SFF) President Ali Abdi Mohamed was elected Vice-President of CECAFA during the organisation’s general assembly in Djibouti.

The appointment highlighted Somalia’s increasing role within regional football leadership, alongside Artan’s achievements on the field, two signs of a country building a stronger voice in East and Central African football.