Stephen Yiembe Becomes First Kenyan Referee at UEFA Final
Kenyan FIFA assistant referee Stephen Yiembe Eleazar Onyango has made history after being officially appointed by UEFA to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. Specifically, this marks the first time a Kenyan match official has ever been selected to handle a European football competition. Furthermore, the showpiece match takes place on August 12, 2026, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany.
An All-East African Officiating Trio
The appointment carries even greater continental significance. Specifically, Stephen Yiembe will serve as Assistant Referee Two alongside an all-East African leading trio.
Furthermore, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan takes the center referee role, while Djibouti’s Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed serves as Assistant Referee One. Additionally, Slovenia’s Rade Obrenovič is the fourth official and Italy’s Marco Di Bello handles VAR duties.
Yiembe’s Impressive Career Journey
The Nakuru-born official has built a formidable international career. Specifically, he recently served as a match official at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, handling high-profile group stage matches including Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg and Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds.
Furthermore, he previously officiated at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Additionally, he served as Assistant VAR 2 for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and worked across the 2023 AFCON and U23 AFCON tournaments.
What This Means for Kenya and East Africa
The Football Kenya Federation formally expressed pride in Yiembe’s landmark assignment. Specifically, FKF highlighted the appointment as an immense boost for sports officiating across East Africa.
Therefore, this milestone opens doors and raises the profile of Kenyan refereeing on the global stage.
