In modern football, few things are more dangerous than allowing emotion to override the laws that govern the game. Passion is what fuels football the fans, the rivalries, the unforgettable moments, but it must never be confused with the principles that ensure fairness and integrity. Football is not governed by sentiment. It is governed by law. The game operates under the universally accepted framework established by FIFA and interpreted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). These laws are clear: the referee is the final authority on the field of play, and decisions made during a match stand once the…
Author: Columnist
When you convert the prize money offered in African club competitions into Kenyan shillings, the numbers are staggering. Winning the CAF Champions League earns a club $6 million, which is roughly KES 775 million. The winner of the CAF Confederation Cup walks away with $4 million, about KES 517 million. To put that into perspective, Gor Mahia F.C. reportedly earns about KES 66 million per year from its main shirt sponsor SportPesa. That means winning the Champions League would equal more than 11 years of sponsorship income. Even lifting the Confederation Cup would bring in the equivalent of about eight…
Kenyan football stands at a crossroads. For years, the conversation around the future of the national team has revolved around improving grassroots development, strengthening the local league, and nurturing homegrown talent. These are noble and necessary goals. But there is another conversation that deserves equal attention, the search for our “lost” football sons abroad. The initiative to identify and reconnect with Kenyan players in the diaspora is not an act of desperation. It is an act of love for the game and a recognition of the realities of modern football. African football legend Jay-Jay Okocha once shared a message that…
Renowned Kenyan sports journalist Benard Otieno has opened up about the intense emotions surrounding Kenyan football, especially when arch-rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards face off. Speaking about the passion of fans, Otieno noted that football in Kenya often goes beyond the game itself, with supporters taking analysis and commentary very personally. According to him, both sets of supporters frequently accuse him of bias depending on how he calls a match. “Football is very emotional. I have been told so many times by fans of FC Leopards that I am biased because my name is not here or there. At…
Renowned Kenyan sports journalist and commentator Benard Otieno has shared a candid assessment of the current state of Kenyan football, suggesting that the local game has fallen behind regional rivals such as Tanzania due to lack of continuity, limited investment, and restrictive player policies. Speaking during a recent discussion at Sporty FC on the performance of local clubs, Otieno acknowledged that Kenya still possesses talented players and promising teams, but argued that structural challenges continue to slow down the country’s football development. FC Leopards Have a Promising Future Otieno singled out FC Leopards as one of the Kenyan clubs currently showing…
