Super Cup: PSG v Aston Villa in Salzburg with Somali referee Omar Artan officiating
Paris Saint-Germain meet Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with Somali referee Omar Artan set to take charge after he was barred from the World Cup by the United States. Barely three weeks after the World Cup final, the annual match between the most recent Champions League and Europa League winners will hand out the first trophy of the new European season.
The appointment of Artan has become entangled with tensions between UEFA and FIFA after U.S. officials barred him from the World Cup days before the tournament over vetting concerns, claiming he had connections to terror organisations without providing proof. UEFA responded by selecting Artan — described in the article as a referee judged the best in Africa last season — to officiate the Super Cup, a decision that drew widespread support in the soccer community and was viewed by some as a political maneuver by the European governing body. Those strains between UEFA and FIFA have widened in the wake of UEFA's campaign to remove Gianni Infantino from the FIFA presidency over his recent, aborted plan to sell an interest in the World Cup.
PSG's squad returned to preseason training in a staggered pattern depending on World Cup involvement, with Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé — who "stood out for France with six goals and two assists" — rejoining on Monday alongside international teammates Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola. Spain's World Cup winner Fabián Ruiz, "whose clinical performance was key to the semifinal victory against France," also returned to the group. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who did not play at the tournament because Georgia did not qualify, has been training for longer and looks likely to start on the left, while new signing Maghnes Akliouche could occupy the right wing.
The club's transfer movement includes the return of former Villa left back Lucas Digne, who may feature for Luis Enrique's side after Villa sold him to PSG on Sunday for a reported fee of 10 million euros ($11.6 million). Digne was among PSG's early signings following the QSI takeover, having been born in the Paris suburbs and joined PSG in 2013 from Lille, later representing Roma and Barcelona before spending eight years in the Premier League with Everton and Villa, where he played "182 games in total" and was described as one of Unai Emery's most consistent players.
Aston Villa begin the match with a reshaped squad in the club's fourth full season under Emery following summer departures including Morgan Rogers to Chelsea, Youri Tielemans to Manchester United and Digne. New additions include Swiss World Cup star Johan Manzambi and Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes, who joined from relegated Wolverhampton; Manzambi is "missing because of a knee injury." Villa qualified for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, beating Freiburg 3-0, and will appear in the Champions League for the second time under Emery.
Artan, who officiated the African Champions League final in 2025, is the first non-European to be appointed to the Super Cup and said the honour followed a "very tough period." He told UEFA: "A lot of people have sympathy for me, because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can't do it, it's very challenging. I really appreciate the support I received throughout the world, though. I'm so grateful." On preparing for the game he said: "The standard in Europe is fantastic and the football they play is very, very good."
PSG will attempt to retain the Super Cup in Salzburg, aiming to become only the second team in the modern era to do so after Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017; PSG won last year's Super Cup against Tottenham on penalties.