Namibia: Samaria - the Man Who's Seen Every Side of the Game

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a report from The Namibian dated 24 July 2026, profiles Frans “Killa” Samaria, a longtime Namibian football figure whose career has included roles as a player, referee, referee instructor, match commissioner and Eleven Arrows chairman. The report presents Samaria as an unusually versatile participant in the sport, noting that he later represented the Namibia Football Association domestically and the Confederation of African Football at continental competitions.

According to The Namibian, Samaria was born near Outjo in the Kunene region and attended schools including St Michael’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Katolieke Inboorling Skool at Otjiwarongo and Döbra High School. He played in several positions as a schoolboy, had a brief spell with Life Fighters, and then joined Eleven Arrows in Walvis Bay. His playing career included a 1970 Hoveka Cup win with Arrows, but it was cut short by a knee meniscus injury.

The report says Samaria moved into refereeing after encouragement from Eberhardt Zage and Harald Schmidt. He later handled high-pressure decisions, including a penalty against Namibia’s under-23 team in a match tied to Walvis Bay’s reintegration into Namibia, and a red card for his brother during a Black Africa versus African Stars league game. He also officiated at the Africa Zone Six Under-23 Championships in Lesotho.

Samaria subsequently chaired referees’ committees in western football and at the NFA, attended CAF refereeing instruction courses in Cairo and Birmingham, managed national teams, and became a travelling match commissioner. Now retired in Walvis Bay, The Namibian reports he remains linked to Eleven Arrows in an advisory capacity and emphasizes discipline to young players.