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A brief overview of Football in Kenya

Although Kenya cannot be classified as a "Football crazy" nation, Football (soccer) is still the most the most popular sport in Kenya. The games popularity cuts across ethnic as well as class lines. Both national and international games are followed in the papers. The World Cup brings the whole country to a virtual standstill.

During the world cup, Kenyans will flock to their favorite drinking joints en masse to root on their favorite teams.

Kenyan fans are also known to be very passionate about their favorite local teams especially the national team, Harambee stars. Important matches pitting the national teams are always sure to pull in crowds of close to 60,000, with millions more watching on Television.

Kenyan fans are always passionate about their national team.

Children can be seen in urban areas as well as in villages playing with a bundle of rags for a ball.

The fields of Eastlands in Nairobi have produced almost half of Kenya's best players over the years.

The Kenya national football league draws teams from all over the country and is played all year round. The premier division consists of 20 teams. Each year 4 teams are promoted from the provincial Leagues to the Premier League while the four teams with the worst record in the premier league are relegated to the provincial leages. A list of Kenya's league winners since 1963 can be found here . The latest standings in the KNFL can be found here.The winner of the League each year represents the country in the Africa Champions League while the runner up represents the country in the CAF cup. In addition the Moi Golden cup which is contested on a knockout basis is played annually. See the cup winners since 1963 here

The national team popularly known as the Harambee Stars consists of the best players available in the country. It regularly participates in competitions such as the CECAFA cup, The African Cup of Nations , All Africa Games as well as world cup qualifiers.

Harambee stars pose hear for a group photo before their match against Egypt in early 2002.

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are Kenya's most popular club teams. Matches pitting the two regularly draw huge crowds. Supporters of both teams are among the most passionate in the world.

gmfc.jpg (24665 bytes) Gor Mahia midfielder Tom Ochieng shields the ball from Leopards fullback Wycliffe Jumba during an encounter at the Nairobi city stadium.

The Kenya National Football league comprises both self supporting clubs and Institutional teams. Some of the other popular self supporting teams are Coast Stars , representing Mombasa town , Shabana representing Kisii town and Mathare United, a team from Mathare Valley, Nairobi's largest slum. Tusker, Mumias Sugar and Kisumu Telkom are among the more prominent instituional teams.

gmfc.jpg (24665 bytes)
Re Union midfielder Seif Mutie , tussles with a Tusker player.

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