Kenya’s presence in international football continues to grow beyond just players and coaches, with local referees gaining recognition on the global stage.
FIFA releases a list of its international match officials, comprising referees who qualify to officiate international matches under the world football governing body and the Confederation of African Football.
The 2026 FIFA list of accredited match officials includes Peter Kamaku, Dickens Mimisa, Josephine Wanjiku, Lucy Juma, Kevin Maina, Isaac Hamisi, and Edwin Mang’oli.
List of Kenyan Referees Accredited by FIFA in 2026
Peter Kamaku
Peter Kamaku is a 44-year-old Kenyan referee who began his career in 2011.
Kamaku has officiated at major tournaments such as the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, and the 2021 African Nations Championship (CHAN) final.
He was selected for the AFCON tournaments in 2021 and 2023 and has served as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in fixtures such as the CAF Confederation Cup final assignments.
Dickens Mimisa
Dickens was born in 1992 and is also a civil engineer who graduated from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
He has taken charge of several local matches, regional tournaments and CAF competitions such as the AFCON U-17 tournament 2023, CECAFA competitions, CAF Champions League match (Djoliba vs Asko De Kara) 2024, AFCON qualifier (Mozambique vs Mali) 2024
Mimisa has also served as a fourth official in CAF matches, including Egypt vs Burkina Faso and Comoros vs Côte d’Ivoire.
He was the best Male Referee of the Year at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Awards in 2023.
Dickens is also a certified Video Match Official.
Josephine Wanjiku
Josephine Wanjiku is one of the only two female referees on FIFA’s list of accredited Kenyan match officials.
Josephine has taken charge of high-profile matches, including the U17 Women’s World Cup game between Japan and New Zealand in 2025.
She refereed in CAF women’s competitions and qualifiers and has also been part of the local women’s league.
She was the FKF Women’s Premier League Referee of the Year in 2024.
Lucy Juma
Lucy started by refereeing in local football leagues.
She has taken part in several FKF matches, including a PL match between Shabana FC and Bidco United at Gusii Stadium.
Lucy was also part of the officiating team in the Chad Vs Senegal match on Feb 21, 2025, in Côte d’Ivoire.
She was part of CAF women’s competitions and qualifiers.
Kevin Maina
Maina began his career in the local football leagues.
He joined the Kenyan Premier League after being certified by the FKF.
Kevin has been a Centre referee for several Premier League matches, including the Murang’a Seal FC vs Kibera Soccer FC in 2025.
He took charge of several CAF and CECAFA competitions.
Also Read: FIFA Confirms Kenya as Host for Women’s Series 2026
Isaac Hamisi
Hamisi has been a Kenyan Premier League referee officiating matches like the Gor Mahia vs FC Leopards, Nairobi United vs Bidco United, Shabana vs Mathare united, Shabana vs Kakamega Homeboyz, among others.
He is also part of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Isaac has been in charge of several matches within the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) competitions.
Edwin Mang’oli
Mang’oli started his career in local matches in the Kenyan Premier League.
He has been involved in regional and continental competitions organized by the CAF and CECAFA.
How Does FIFA Accredit Kenyan Referees?
Referees must earn a nomination from the national football federation in Kenya (FKF), which is submitted annually to FIFA for consideration.
Those nominated must meet strict FIFA requirements (physical fitness, technical ability, and match control).
The performance of the referees must be evaluated before inclusion in the FIFA international list.
Annual review and renewal are mandatory.
FIFA’s requirements to earn accreditation include
- Passing fitness tests.
- Demonstrating a clear understanding of the laws of the game.
- Maintaining high standards of performance in domestic competitions.
Also Read: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup in Kenya: Full TV And Streaming Guide
Major Competitions They Are Allowed to Officiate
- FIFA-accredited Kenyan referees are eligible to officiate matches in:
- CHAN tournaments
- CAF Champions League
- CAF Confederation Cup
- Africa Cup of Nations
- FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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