Somalia's Abdulkadir Artan handed CECAFA Kagame Cup final

The 2025 CAF Men’s Best referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan will officiate the final of the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026.

Jean Sseninde, the Interim Executive Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) announced the news on Sunday.

The Somali referee together with two assistants Liban Abdulrazack (Djibouti) and Eliezer Stephen Yiembe (Kenya) who were appointed to officiate the UEFA Super Cup on August 12^th in Salzburg will all handle the CECAFA Kagame Cup final at the Amahoro Stadium on August 7^th.

“On behalf of CECAFA. I warmly welcome Artan back to our region as he officiates at the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026. Artan has become a symbol of excellence in African refereeing, and his remarkable achievements continue to inspire young match officials across the continent”. 

“His presence at our flagship competition reflects the high standards that CECAFA is committed to promotion, and we are proud that one of our own continues to represent Africa with distinction on the world stage,” says the CECAFA President Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam.

The trio are expected to arrive in Kigali on Tuesday as they will also be expected to use the CECAFA Kagame Cup platform to prepare for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa FC.

The CECAFA Kagame Cup semi final will take place on August 4^th with Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) facing Al Hilal SC, while home side Rayon Sport FC take on Jamus SC (South Sudan).

The champions will pocket US$30,000, while the runner-up takes US$20,000, and the third placed US$10,000.