![]() Kibato in 2024 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | September 16, 2000 | ||
Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | York United | ||
Number | 21 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2017 | North Toronto Nitros | ||
2017–2019 | Toronto FC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2017 | North Toronto Nitros | 21 | (4) |
2018 | Toronto FC III | 8 | (0) |
2019–2020 | Helsingør | 0 | (0) |
2020–2021 | Rio Grande Valley FC | 12 | (1) |
2021 | → FC Tulsa (loan) | 29 | (2) |
2022 | FC Tulsa | 28 | (0) |
2023 | Hartford Athletic | 19 | (0) |
2024 | Vancouver FC | 9 | (0) |
2024– | York United | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 27, 2024 |
Kembo Kibato (born September 16, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Canadian Premier League side York United FC.
Kibato played youth soccer with the North Toronto Nitros. [1]
In 2017, he played with Team Ontario at the 2017 Canada Summer Games, helping them win the gold medal. [2] [3]
In 2017, Kibato joined the Toronto FC Academy. [1]
In 2016, Kibato debuted with the North Toronto Nitros senior team in League1 Ontario, making two substitute appearances. [4] The following season, he joined the senior squad full-time, scoring 4 goals in 19 appearances, [5] and was named a league third-team all-star. [6] In 2018, he played with Toronto FC III. [7]
In 2019, he attended training camp with Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League, but did not ultimately sign with the club. [1] [8]
On July 18, 2019, Kibato signed with Danish 2nd Division side FC Helsingør. [9] [10] Kibato left on January 14, 2020 without making an official first team appearance, having only played in friendlies. [1] [11]
On March 7, 2020, Kibato joined USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC. [12] He made his debut for RGVFC on July 11, 2020, appearing as an 83rd-minute substitute during a 1–0 loss to El Paso Locomotive. [13] He scored his first professional goal on August 8 against Austin Bold FC. [14] [15] In October, he was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after recording two assists in a 4-2 victory against OKC Energy FC in the season finale. [16]
On April 9, 2021, Kibato moved on a season-long loan to USL Championship side FC Tulsa. [17] At the end of the season, he was named the team's Newcomer of the Year. [18] [19] On December 29, Tulsa announced they had signed Kibato to a permanent deal ahead of the 2022 season. [20] Following the 2022 season, Kibato’s contract ended. [21]
On December 12, 2022, Kibato was announced as a new signing for USL Championship side Hartford Athletic ahead of their 2023 season. [22]
On February 29, 2024, Vancouver FC announced the signing of the Canadian midfielder on a two-year contract, ahead of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season. [23] [24]
In September 2024, Kibato was transferred to York United FC, signing a contract through 2025, in a player swap deal with Austin Ricci moving to Vancouver. [25] [26] He made his debut against Forge FC, playing as a left-back during an injury crisis for York, before eventually returning to his customary midfield role later in the season. [27] [28]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
North Toronto Nitros | 2016 [4] | League1 Ontario | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
2017 [5] | League1 Ontario | 19 | 4 | — | — | — | 19 | 4 | ||||
Total | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4 | ||
Toronto FC III | 2018 [7] | League1 Ontario | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
FC Helsingør | 2019–20 | Danish 2nd Division | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Rio Grande Valley FC | 2020 | USL Championship | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
FC Tulsa (loan) | 2021 | USL Championship | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 2 | ||
FC Tulsa | 2022 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 2 | ||
Hartford Athletic | 2023 | USL Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
Vancouver FC | 2024 | Canadian Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
York United FC | 2024 | Canadian Premier League | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
Career total | 127 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 133 | 7 |