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Fast-rising Kenyan referee lands prestigious UEFA assignment
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 06.07.26. | 07:20
The appointment is the latest milestone for the Nakuru-born official, who has rapidly established himself among Africa's elite assistant referees
Kenyan assistant referee Stephen Yiembe has reached another landmark in his fast-rising career after being named in the officiating team for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, becoming the first Kenyan match official ever selected to work in a UEFA competition.
The FIFA-accredited assistant referee will serve as the second assistant referee when UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain take on UEFA Europa League champions Aston Villa on 12 August at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany.
Yiembe will be part of an all-East African officiating crew led by Somalia's Omar Artan, who will serve as the centre referee, with Djibouti's Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed serving as first assistanr referee.
The appointment is the latest milestone for the Nakuru-born official, who has rapidly established himself among Africa's elite assistant referees.
Born in 1989, Yiembe has enjoyed a meteoric rise on the international stage.
In 2025, he was the only match official from the CECAFA region selected by FIFA for the Club World Cup in the United States, where he officiated high-profile matches including Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg and Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds.
Earlier this year, he was also appointed Assistant VAR 2 for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, having previously officiated at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and made his AFCON debut in Côte d'Ivoire in 2023, including the group-stage clash between Tunisia and Namibia.
Yiembe's latest appointment comes under the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which seeks to strengthen cooperation in areas including referee development and exchange programmes.
The initiative was triggered after Somali referee Omar Artan, Africa's reigning Referee of the Year, was unable to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States despite being selected by FIFA.
To recognise his performances, UEFA invited Artan to referee the UEFA Super Cup, with Yiembe and Ahmed completing the East African trio.
The historic appointment not only marks another personal achievement for Yiembe but also represents a significant breakthrough for Kenyan and East African football officiating on the European stage.
