Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan crowned CAF Best Male Referee 2025
Earlier in the year, Omar Abdulkadir Artan became the first Somali referee to oversee a continental final, taking charge of Egypt’s Pyramids FC’s victory over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has achieved a historic milestone after being crowned the CAF Best Male Referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards ceremony held on Wednesday evening at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco.
Omar, who has taken charge of several high-profile matches this year, emerged top in the continent’s refereeing category, while Uganda’s Shamirah Nabadda was named CAF Best Female Referee.
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The two represent the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone, marking one of the region’s strongest showings at the continental awards.
“This is a milestone for the CECAFA refereeing era. We congratulate our top stars Abdulkadir and Nabadda,” said Ali Ahmed, the head of CECAFA refereeing, in a statement following the announcement.
Omar expressed deep gratitude after receiving the honour, saying: “I am proud to receive this award. It is a privilege for me,” he said.
The Somali official has been enjoying a groundbreaking year in his refereeing career.
He recently made history as the first Somali referee selected for a FIFA World Cup tournament, becoming one of only three centre referees chosen from Africa and the sole representative from Sub-Saharan Africa to officiate at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025.
Earlier in the year, Omar became the first Somali referee to oversee a continental final, taking charge of Egypt’s Pyramids FC’s victory over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo. He has also featured among match officials at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The awards further highlighted CECAFA’s strong presence in African refereeing. In addition to Omar and Shamirah, Razak Liban of Djibouti was voted the Best Assistant Male Referee, while Senegal’s Tabara Mbodji bagged the award for Best Assistant Female Referee.
World FIFA U-20 champions Morocco were named Men’s National Team of the Year, with Nigeria claiming the women’s category.
Morocco’s rising talents also shone, with Othmane Maamna and Doha El Madani being crowned the Men’s and Women’s Young Players of the Year respectively.
Former Young Africans SC forward Fiston Mayele, now starring for Pyramids FC in Egypt, won the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year award.
In other awards, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Morocco's national defender Achraf Hakimi was crowned as the African Player of the Year Award for 2025.
Hakimi beat Mohammed Salah of Egypt and Victor Osimhen of Nigeria, who were also finalists in the award.
In a tweet, Hakimi was full of gratitude to his support systems, beginning with his family.
"A recognition that crowns years of hard work, success, and unforgettable moments. My gratitude goes to my family, my teammates, and everyone who works with me every day, on and off the field. Your trust, dedication, and support make me stronger and allow me to grow," he said.
Adding, "Thank you to all the Moroccan people for always standing behind me. I hope this moment inspires every child in our country and across our continent to believe in their dreams and fight for them."
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