NTV Kenya: Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards fans left in limbo as Mashemeji Derby is postponed

Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards fans left in limbo as Mashemeji Derby is postponed

The highly-anticipated Football Kenya Federation Premier League first leg match between giants Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed due to the unavailability of a venue.

The Mashemeji derby was postponed after Gor Mahia, who are the home team in the fixture, wrote to the Football Kenya Federation notifying them of their inability to secure a suitable venue for the match, Kenya’s biggest club football fixture and most at risk of encountering safety challenges.

“In light of this challenge, we kindly request that the match be postponed to a later date to be communicated by your office in due course,” Gor Mahia secretary general Nicanor Arum stated a letter to FKF Leagues and Competitions Manager, Frank Ogolla.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause and assure you of our commitment to ensuring that the match proceeds smoothly once the new date is confirmed,” said Arum.

“Without a venue, the derby is off,” said FKF Head of Communications, Media and Public Relations Jeff Kinyanjui.

The match was initially scheduled to be played at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Sunday.

However, the venue was later changed to the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday to accommodate Nairobi United hosting Congolese club AS Maniema Union in a CAF Confederation Cup group match at Kasarani on Sunday.

Gor Mahia, could not secure MISC for the fixture on Saturday because Nairobi United and AS Maniema Union will be feeling the pitch on that day.

It has emerged that the club cannot host the match at Nyayo this weekend because the government has booked the venue for a function to mark this year’s World Aids Day on Sunday and Monday.

November 27, 2025

Sections of Thika Road closed ahead of Harambee Stars vs Gambia clash Motorists heading to the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani through Thika Road and adjoining routes should expect traffic disruptions on Friday, September 5, 2025. In a statement released on Thursday, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said police will implement road diversions to ease movement ahead of the much-anticipated 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier clash between Kenya’s Harambee Stars and Gambia. According to the traffic advisory, diversions will take effect from 6am, with several sections of Thika Road and feeder roads being closed to ease congestion around Kasarani Stadium. “Heading to Kasarani? Big match day means traffic changes! On Friday 5 September 2025, from 6 am, diversions will affect Thika Road and routes to MISC Kasarani. Please take note of the temporary diversions, use alternative roads, and plan ahead,” stated FKF. Motorists travelling from Nairobi CBD to Ruiru, Juja and Thika have been advised to use the Kiambu Road exit at junction 4. A roadblock will be set up in Muthaiga. Those travelling from Thika Road towards Mwiki have been advised to use the Ruaka–Baba Dogo–Lucky Summer–Nairobi River–Mwiki route. Those heading towards the Nairobi CBD from Thika, Juja and Ruiru have been advised to use the Northern Bypass or Kiambu Road. Police are expected to set up a roadblock at the Ruiru interchange. Those travelling from Githurai towards the CBD have been advised to use the Githurai 44–Kiambu Road route. Those heading to Kasarani Stadium from the CBD without vehicle access passes have been advised to use the service lane at exits 7 and 8. All motorists are urged to cooperate with the police officers present to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. According to FKF, additional police officers have been deployed, and stern action will be taken against anyone who violates the traffic rules. “The national police service continues to work collaboratively with relevant agencies and urges all motorists to cooperate with officers on-site to ensure smooth traffic flow. additional police officers have been deployed and will take stern action against anyone violating traffic rules,” the statement read.

Tickets sold out

In a related update, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced that regular tickets, priced at Sh200, have already sold out. Interestingly, VVIP tickets—never officially released for public sale—have also been declared unavailable. Ticket sales for other categories are moving fast: about 70 percent of Silver tickets (Sh500) are gone, alongside 25 percent of VIP tickets (Sh1,000) and 10 percent of Gold tickets (Sh2,000). The strong demand reflects the massive turnout expected, fueled by the Harambee Stars’ growing fan base, especially after their impressive support during the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). On the pitch, Kenya faces an uphill battle in the qualifiers. With four group-stage matches remaining, the Stars sit fourth with six points. Gabon leads the group on 18 after a 4–0 win over Seychelles, leaving Kenya with a maximum possible tally of 18 if they win all their remaining games. For a chance at progression, Kenya must hope second-placed Ivory Coast slip up—starting with their clash against Burundi on Friday. That could open a narrow path for Kenya to finish second and possibly qualify as one of the four best runners-up, advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. September 5, 2025

McCarthy says Harambee Stars in high spirits ahead of Madagascar clash Friday’s CHAN quarterfinal clash between Kenya and Madagascar will host 36,000 fans at Moi International Sports Complex - Kasarani after the FKF and the government secured approval to increase stadium capacity. Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy confirmed that the team is in high spirits with no injury concerns ahead of the high-stakes encounter. He added that the players are not only tactically prepared but also mentally ready for the challenge. August 22, 2025

2024 Chan: Portal crashes as Kenya vs Madagascar tickets go on sale Ticket portal site operated Mookh platform has crashed just moments after the tickets for the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) quarter-final match between Kenya and Madagascar officially went on sale. Kenya will play against Madagascar at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on Friday from 5pm (East African time). Most fans seeking to purchase the tickets for the match as from noon on Tuesday have been unable to do so, presumably do to high demand. All the four group matches in the tournament involving Harambee Star have sold out with scores ticketless fans gaining entry into the match venue. As a result, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) fined Football Kenya Federation (FKF) a total of Sh12.8 million due to security breaches by fans in five matches that have taken place in Nairobi. Also, thanks to the chaos witnessed at Kasarani in a match between Kenya and Morocco on August 10, Caf limited the capacity of the venue for all Kenya’s matches. Caf also warned that failure to implement the new measures would lead to more serious sanction, including finding alternative venues for Harambee Stars to play their home matches. During Kenya's final group match that was played at Kasarani on Sunday, only 27,000 fans were allowed entry into the 48,000-seater facility with a majority of Kenya fans following the action either at home or from several fan zones that were set up across Nairobi. August 19, 2025

2024 Chan: CAF reduces Kasarani capacity for Kenya home matches Only 27,000 fans will henceforth be allowed to attend Kenya’s matches at the 48,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani, in Nairobi during the ongoing 2024 African Nations Championship. Reducing fan attendance at the stadium by 40 per cent is among several key measures that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken to avoid a repeat of security breaches and crowd trouble at the venues during Harambee Stars' matches. On Sunday, ahead of Harambee Stars' highly anticipated Group “A” clash against giants Morocco, scores of fans jumped over the fence to access the stadium. This came barely a week after the CAF Disciplinary Board imposed a total fine of Sh2.5 million ($20,000) on Football Kenya Federation (FKF) due to breach of CAF Disciplinary Code, as well as CAF Safety and Security Regulations during the group’s two matches held on August 3. The fixtures were Kenya’s 1-0 win over two-time Chan champions the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at MISC and Morocco’s 2-0 win over Angola at the 18,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium. Acts of hooliganism were also witnessed ahead of Kenya’s 1-1 draw against Angola on Thursday last week. CAF said these incidents “present unacceptable risks to spectators, staff, and the integrity of the tournament.” “As a result, CAF is mandating the following measures for all upcoming Kenya home matches at Kasarani: Capacity restriction: Maximum 60 percent of stadium capacity (27,000 tickets). Ticketing: Entry strictly limited to electronic ticket holders; thermal tickets prohibited,” CAF said on Monday evening. CAF also directed Kenya’s Local Organising Committee to launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements. CAF also warned that failure to implement the new measures will lead to more serious sanctions, including finding alternative venues for Harambee Stars to play its home matches. According to CAF, some of the security breaches witnessed on Sunday include: overrunning of stadium gates and PSAs by ticket-less spectators and holders of physical tickets distributed by the government, breaches of the perimeter fence, and loss of control at exit points. CAF also said there had been a crowd control failure at Ngomongo roundabout, leading to uncontrolled access through multiple gates, use of tear gas and flash grenades, causing panic, with reports of live ammunition fired near spectators and staff. Others are violent incidents, including stone-throwing at security personnel, and unsafe vehicle movement in spectator areas, inadequate police response despite repeated requests for intervention, lack of medical incident reports submitted following reported injuries, and insufficient communication tools and lack of CCTV coverage at critical entry points. “We trust that these measures will be applied swiftly to protect the competition’s integrity, to ensure fan safety, and to uphold confidence in Kenya’s commitment to the tournament,” CAF said in the statement. The chaos on Monday saw the suspension of the sale of tickets for Kenya’s crucial Group ‘A’ match against Zambia, which is scheduled for Sunday at MISC, Kasarani. August 12, 2025

SportPesa returns as FKF Premier League sponsor in Sh1.12bn deal The Football Kenya Federation has received a significant financial boost following the return of SportPesa as the league's title sponsor. The gaming giant has signed a 10-year deal that is worth Sh1.12 billion for the upcoming season. August 1, 2025

Inside Kenya’s last-minute withdrawal from Cecafa Four Nations tournament Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, has officially withdrawn from Cecafa Four Nations tournament just hours before the competition was scheduled to kick off at Karatu Stadium in Arusha. Kenya becomes the third nation to withdraw from the tournament in the build-up to the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan), following earlier withdrawals by Sudan and Congo Brazzaville. In an official statement released on Monday, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirmed that the decision was made based on recommendations from the team’s technical bench, led by head coach Benni McCarthy. “This decision was reached following recommendations and advice from the team’s technical bench, led by head coach Benni McCarthy, after a thorough assessment of the prevailing conditions in Karatu, which were deemed unsuitable for the team’s participation and overall preparations,” FKF said in the statement. Harambee Stars had already arrived in Arusha on Saturday and were set to open their campaign against hosts Tanzania on Moday afternoon from 3pm at Karatu Stadium. They were also scheduled to face Uganda and reigning Chan champions Senegal in subsequent matches. However, after a full assessment of the venue and conditions in Karatu, the team opted to return to Nairobi on Sunday night in the same fleet of luxury vans that had transported them to northern Tanzania. FKF reiterated that preparations for 2024 Chan would continue on home soil, with renewed emphasis on ensuring the team trains in a suitable and high-performance environment. “We remain fully committed to providing the national team with the best possible conditions for preparation and to ensuring they represent Kenya with pride in the upcoming continental tournament,” FKF added. Kenya now becomes the third country to withdraw from this year’s Cecafa Four Nations Tournament, which was meant to serve as a key warm-up event for 2024 Chan, set to be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania from August 2 to 30. Sudan was the first to pull out of the tournament, citing its focus on the newly launched domestic league. They were replaced by Congo Brazzaville as a guest team. However, Congo also withdrew a week later due to logistical and transportation challenges, and Senegal stepped in as their replacement. Round-robin system Due to the multiple changes, the tournament structure had to be revised from a knockout format to a round-robin system. The remaining participating teams—Tanzania, Uganda, and Senegal—will now play each other once, with the team collecting the highest points crowned the winner. The final round of matches is set for July 27. This year's edition of the tournament holds historical significance, as it is exclusively featuring squads composed of locally based players, directly aligning with Chan eligibility rules. Auka John Gacheo, Executive Director of Cecafa, affirmed that despite the setbacks, the tournament remains an important part of Chan preparations. “The primary objective of this competition is to offer our zonal teams a valuable platform to prepare adequately ahead of the African Nations Championship scheduled for August 2025,” Gacheo told Cecafa Media. "We are not sure why the matches had to be staged far away, that's in Karatu Stadium, located 150 kilometers from the city, when we have the Sheikh Amri Abeid stadium here," said Ally Yarro, head coach of Sinon team. Karatu Stadium aslo suffered a setback with regard to the accommodation of teams. The guest houses are below standard, with most of the hotels located inside protected areas such as the Ngorongoro Conservation, and Lake Manyara National Park. July 21, 2025

Sh600m liability cripples FKF operations Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is grappling with massive legal fees that are severely hindering its operations. The situation is compounded by substantial financial sanctions resulting from numerous legal cases before various judicial bodies, both locally and internationally. According to FKF’s Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2024, the federation had incurred external counsel fees amounting to Sh269.8 million as of January 2025. In addition, FKF reported pending legal liabilities of approximately Sh19 million arising from cases filed before the Fifa Tribunal. “The litigation status, including pending legal fees claimed against the Federation as at January 2025, was summarised below: Federation’s external counsel - Sh269,859,400. Federation pending legal liabilities arising from cases filed before the FIFA Tribunal - CHF 137,500 (Swiss Francs), approximately Sh19,937,500,” states the federation’s financial report released on Saturday. While the report did not provide further details about the cases, an audit by the FKF Transition Committee—released on February 24—revealed that the federation is currently embroiled in 21 legal cases related to election disputes, unpaid legal fees, and contractual matters, some of which date back to previous regimes. Speaking during the ninth FKF Congress held at Sportsview Hotel in Kasarani, Nairobi, on Saturday, FKF President Hussein Mohammed revealed that the federation is managing financial obligations of over Sh600 million, putting immense pressure on its ability to deliver essential programmes. “We are navigating financial obligations of over Sh600 million which has placed pressure on our ability to deliver on key programmes,” said Hussein. Among the major legal disputes FKF faces is a case in which a private company is seeking to have the federation declared insolvent over a Sh35.7 million debt. According to court documents, AFS International GMBH claims FKF has failed to settle the amount despite multiple reminders. The debt arises from a seven-year broadcast deal FKF signed with Azam Media on August 31, 2023, worth $9.1 million (Sh1.3 billion). During the congress, Hussein further disclosed that FIFA has sanctioned a Sh5.5 million deduction from FKF’s FIFA Forward funds to settle a fine related to the late payment of Sh109 million owed to former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche following his unlawful dismissal. “The deduction will take effect in the next allocation,” he said. Belgian national Amrouche, who coached Harambee Stars between 2013 and 2014, had filed a wrongful dismissal case with the FIFA Players’ Status Committee, which initially awarded him Sh60 million. However, upon appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport increased his compensation to Sh109 million. Hussein also revealed that FKF could face a Sh18 million fine related to a disciplinary case involving Zoo Football Club, which was relegated to the FKF Division One League in 2021 over match-fixing allegations. “If the federation loses the case, FIFA will impose a 20 percent deduction from the federation’s FIFA Forward funds,” he noted. In a separate matter, the FKF president confirmed that the Kenya Under-17 women’s national football team was fined Sh400,000 during their participation in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in the Dominican Republic. June 3, 2025

'Mashemeji' derby: Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards clash postponed again

Sunday's highly anticipated 'Mashemeji' Derby has been postponed after Gor Mahia rejected a proposal by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to host the match at Ulinzi Sports Complex.

Gor Mahia Secretary General Nick Arum confirmed that a new date for FKF Premier League’s biggest fixture—between archrivals K’Ogalo and AFC Leopards—will be announced soon.

“They (FKF) wanted us to play the game at Ulinzi Sports Complex, but we have rejected such a proposal. The game will be played within this month on a date which we shall settle on and in a convenient venue for our fans and AFC Leopards,” said a tough-talking Arum.

Only five rounds of matches remain in the season, with the final games scheduled for May 31. FKF is expected to submit the name of the league winner to CAF by July 1.

The derby was initially set to be staged at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) objected to this, citing ongoing renovations and the need to preserve the pitch ahead of the delayed Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in August.

This decision came after officials from Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards met with FKF and Sports Stadia management on Tuesday. The group had earlier agreed to host the match at Kasarani, which has been under renovation since August 2023 in preparation for both CHAN and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

FKF Secretary Harold Ndege had earlier confirmed the match would be held at Kasarani, stating that the federation was directly involved to ensure maximum security.

However, Gor Mahia sources told Nation Sport that the club was not willing to risk the safety of its fans following the chaos that erupted during their recent fixture against Shabana at Gusii Stadium. Several Gor supporters were injured during the clashes.

In a strongly-worded letter dated May 6 and signed by Gor Chairman Ambrose Rachier, Gor Mahia criticised how the situation at Gusii Stadium was handled. The letter also vowed that the club would never return to the venue.

The FKF had proposed capping the number of fans attending the derby at Ulinzi Sports Complex, a move that was rejected by Gor Mahia, who are the designated hosts.

It also remains unclear whether the management of Ulinzi Sports Complex had been consulted about hosting the derby, especially in light of past hooliganism at the venue. On September 22 last year, Shabana fans damaged seats and destroyed property during a league match against Ulinzi Stars.

Gor Mahia also raised concerns about potential revenue losses, noting that a limited-capacity venue would affect gate collections. AFC Leopards reportedly collected Sh7.3 million during the first-leg derby on March 30.

This is now the fourth time the 'Mashemeji' Derby has been postponed this season due to venue issues. The first-leg match was originally scheduled for November 23, 2023, with AFC Leopards as hosts, but it was postponed due to the unavailability of Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums, both under renovation.

A new date of March 1 was also scrapped for the same reason. Another scheduled clash on April 6 was pushed forward to this weekend, which has once again been postponed.

May 8, 2025