The Kenyan football league system is a series of several interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Kenya.
Structure
editAs of 2017,the top tier league in Kenya is the FKF Premier League, with the FKF National Super League below it. The FKF National Division One and National Division Two are the third and fourth tiers of the system respectively, both divided into two zones for the Eastern and Western halves of Kenya. Division Two is further divided into two groups consisting of teams from various regions in Eastern and Western Kenya.[1]
Below the national leagues are the Regional Leagues, divided into regional divisions based on the former Provinces of Kenya (except for North Eastern), some of which are further divided into a number of zones. The County Champions League and the Sub-County Leagues make up the bottom two tiers of the Kenyan football league system.
In women's football, the Women's Premier League is the top tier league, with the Women's Division One below it.
History
editIn November 2012, the Football Kenya Federation began talks to create Division Two, which, if approved, will go above the Provincial League as the third tier. The proposal says that the league will be made of 16 teams; the four relegated teams from both zones of Division One and one team from each of the eight provincial leagues. The 16 teams will be divided into two zones of eight teams each on the same basis as Division One in terms of locations of teams in the zones. The winners from each zone would be promoted to their respective zones in Division One, e.g. the winner from Zone A in Division Two would be promoted to Zone A in Division One.[2]
On 25 April 2013, the Football Kenya Federation decided to slash the league to 20 teams for the 2014 season. For that to happen, it was decided that the league will consist of top 5 teams in each zone (except the two teams that win the promotion play-offs) in addition to the two relegated Premier League teams. The remaining 29 teams will be relegated to FKF Division Two, which will begin next season, along with the 8 teams promoted from the Provincial League.[3]
On 10 July 2013, it was announced that the Football Kenya Federation introduced a new league system to take effect from the beginning of the 2014 season.[4] For the 2015 season, the Kenyan Premier League was to be contested by 18 teams, up from 16 for the 2014 season.[5]
At the beginning of the 2015 season, talks between the Kenyan Premier League and the Football Kenya Federation concerning the expansion of the top flight collapsed, ultimately resulting in the formation of a new parallel top division called the FKF Premier League (FKF PL) consisting of 18 teams, with the KPL maintaining its composition of 16 teams.[6] However, on 23 March 2015, the two parties reached an agreement that gave the KPL official recognition as Kenya's top division and the FKF PL as Kenya's second division for 2015, with a memorandum of understanding outlining the promotion and relegation system between the two leagues for 2015 and the relationship between the KPL and the federation regarding the running of the top division from 2016 onwards.
Current system
edit- As of the 2017 season.
| Level | League/Division(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Premier League |
Kenyan Premier League 18 clubs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Super League |
Kenyan National Super League 20 clubs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Division One |
Zone A 14 clubs |
Zone B 14 clubs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Division Two |
Western Zone 15 clubs |
Central Zone 30 clubs |
Eastern Zone 24 clubs |
Northern Zone 15 clubs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Regional Leagues |
Nyanza League 20 clubs |
Western League 20 clubs |
Rift Valley League 20 clubs |
Central League 20 clubs |
Nairobi League 20 clubs |
Eastern League 20 clubs |
North Eastern League 20 clubs |
Coast League 20 clubs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 County Champions League |
Baringo League | Bomet League | Bungoma League | Busia League | Embu League | Garissa League | Isiolo League | Kiambu League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elgeyo-Marakwet League | Homa Bay League | Kajiado League | Kakamega League | Kilifi League | Kirinyaga League | Kitui League | Kwale League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kericho League | Kisii League | Kisumu League | Laikipia League | Lamu League | Machakos League | Makueni League | Mandera League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Migori League | Nakuru League | Nandi League | Narok League | Marsabit League | Meru League | Mombasa League | Murang'a League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nyamira League | Samburu League | Siaya League | Trans-Nzoia League | Nairobi A. League | Nairobi B. League | Nyandarua League | Nyeri League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turkana League | Uasin Gishu League | Vihiga League | West Pokot League | Taita-Taveta League | Tana River League | Tharaka-Nithi League | Wajir League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Sub-County Leagues |
Sub-County Leagues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ "FKF LEAGUE STRUCTURES – 2020/2021 TO 2024/2025 SEASON" (PDF). footballkenya.org. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "FKF to consider creation of Division 2". Futaa.com. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ Patrick Korir (25 April 2013). "Signed and sealed; Div 1 to have 20 teams in 2014". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ Amos Abuga (10 July 2013). "New FKF soccer Structure to be implemented next year". MichezoAfrika.com. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ Kevin Teya (25 November 2014). "FKF: Decision on 18 - Team KPL is final and irreversible". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Kevin Teya (18 February 2015). "KPL, FKF talks collapse". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.