Kenyan Referee Set for Historic UEFA Super Cup Assignment as PSG Face Aston Villa

As Somalia referee Omar Artan takes centre stage in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night, his officiating crew will also involve a Kenyan match official.

Artan will be the centre referee during the UEFA Super Cup clash between Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria and among his two assistants is Kenyan Stephen Yiembe.

The Kenyan assistant referee landed the historic appointment, becoming the first match official from the nation to be selected for a UEFA competition. He will be part of an all-East African team officiating the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, the other one being Liban Abdoulrazack Ahmed from Djibouti.

Yiembe, who hails from Nakuru, will serve as the second assistant referee. He joins a crew led by Artan (Somalia), first assistant referee Ahmed (Djibouti) while Rade Obrenovi from Slovenia will be the fourth official. Italian Marco Di Bello will be the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), assisted by Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez from Spain.

Yiembe's selection for the Super Cup is the latest highlight in a career that has seen him rise from domestic leagues to become one of Africa's most respected officials. His growing reputation was recently showcased at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where he officiated two major matches: Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg and Juventus vs Urawa Red Diamonds.

He has also been a fixture in top-tier CAF tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations and crucial CAF Champions League semi-finals featuring continental powerhouses like Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns. In 2024, Yiembe added another major event to his resume by officiating at the Olympic Games in Paris.

This groundbreaking UEFA assignment not only serves as a personal achievement for Yiembe but also signals growing recognition for East African referees within world football. It underscores the increasing collaboration between UEFA and other confederations in selecting elite officials for major European events.

While the Super Cup is the traditional curtain-raiser for the European club season, for Yiembe, it represents a monumental career milestone. His appointment is a testament to years of consistent, high-level performances and paves the way for future generations of match officials from Kenya and the wider region.