Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan marked a historic night in Salzburg as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup and become only the third club to successfully defend the trophy in its modern era.
Artan became the first non-European referee to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup, adding another landmark to a career that has continued to break new ground.
His appointment came through a cooperation agreement between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with both organisations seeking to strengthen links between the two confederations.
The 34-year-old had originally been selected among the officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was unable to participate after being denied entry into the United States. UEFA subsequently handed him the prestigious Super Cup assignment, describing him as an experienced referee who had established himself at the highest level of African football.
Artan, who has been on the FIFA international list since 2018, had also officiated the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. His appearance in Salzburg therefore represented both a personal milestone and a significant moment for African refereeing.
On the pitch, PSG produced another statement of their growing dominance in European football, overcoming a determined Villa side to claim the trophy for the second consecutive year.
The French champions took the lead in the 20th minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished to put Luis Enrique’s side ahead. Villa responded before the interval, with 17-year-old Brian Madjo scoring on the stroke of half-time to send the teams into the break level.
Doué Delivers Again for PSG
PSG regained control after the restart and eventually found the decisive goal through Désiré Doué. The French forward struck midway through the second half to restore PSG’s advantage and leave Villa chasing the game once again.
Unai Emery’s team pushed for another equaliser but could not find a way through the PSG defence, allowing the Champions League holders to see out the contest and add another piece of silverware to their collection.
The victory gives PSG their second UEFA Super Cup title. They became the first French club to win the competition when they defeated Tottenham in 2025, adding the trophy to the Champions League crown they had secured earlier that year.
PSG’s latest triumph also places them in select company. Before their back-to-back successes, only AC Milan and Real Madrid had managed to retain the Super Cup in consecutive editions. Milan achieved the feat in 1989 and 1990, while Real Madrid did so in 2016 and 2017.
Real Madrid remain the competition’s most successful club with six titles, while AC Milan and Barcelona have five apiece. PSG’s two victories now put them alongside several clubs including Chelsea with multiple Super Cup triumphs.
Villa’s Long-Awaited Return Ends in Defeat
For Aston Villa, the defeat ended a return to a competition they had not contested since winning it in 1982.
Villa defeated Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate that year, overturning a first-leg deficit to claim the trophy in their first and, until Wednesday, only Super Cup appearance.
Their latest campaign nevertheless offered a historic moment through Madjo, whose equaliser on his Super Cup debut highlighted the emergence of the teenage forward on a major European stage.
PSG ultimately had the greater quality when the contest reached its decisive stages. Their success also provided an emphatic response to Luis Enrique’s pre-match claim that no European side was more motivated than his team.
The victory extends PSG’s extraordinary period of success and ensures the Super Cup remains in Paris for another year, while Artan leaves Salzburg having added a landmark achievement of his own to an increasingly distinguished refereeing career.
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