Omar Artan, the Somali referee, was dropped from officiating Algeria vs Nigeria in AFCON 2025 for wearing football boots from a non-approved brand, violating CAF’s sponsorship deal with Puma.
Reports vary on who alerted CAF—some say Nigeria, others Algeria—but the violation is widely confirmed, prompting the change.
No official CAF confirmation yet, but multiple sources confirm the removal.
The issue with Omar Artan’s footwear is that he wore boots from a brand not approved by CAF, violating their sponsorship deal with Puma. Referees must use official Puma gear
Omar Abdulkadir Artan is a Somali football referee born in 1992. He’s the first from Somalia to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and a continental final. He was named CAF’s Best Male Referee of 2025 and recently appointed for the Algeria-Nigeria AFCON quarterfinal.
