The Kenyan Premier League (KPL), also the FKF Premier League, officially known as the SportPesa League, is a professional league for men's football clubs in Kenya. Standing at the top of the Kenyan football league system, the league was formed in 1963 under the Kenya Football Federation, but is now controlled by the Football Kenya Federation. It is contested by 18 clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation system with the Kenyan National Super League. Gor Mahia are the current champions, having won the 2025–26 season.
The league was mostly stable until the late 1990s and since then its performance had been considered below average, with many of the league's clubs having little or no finances to support themselves. However, when SuperSport became an official league partner, the league has taken on a more serious role with teams becoming professional and the majority of the clubs managing to get kit sponsorships. This saw the level of competition improve compared to past.
Origin Following constant wrangles between the then football governing administration and the eventual deteriorating of the National Football League, participating clubs opted out and decided to form a company that would see the smooth running of the league in a professional and transparent manner. In 2003, the Kenyan Premier League was created and registered as a limited liability company whose ownership was shared amongst all the sixteen participating clubs and was to be affiliated to the Kenya Football Federation.
The league was known as the Kenya National Football League from its creation in 1963 to 1996, the Kenyan Super League in 1973 and 1997 and, from 1998, the Kenyan Premier League.
Corporate structure The Kenyan Premier League is operated and run as a private limited company incorporated in October 2003 under the Companies Act of Kenya. It is fully owned and managed by 18 member shareholders. It is affiliated to the Football Kenya Federation, which is also a shareholder and voting member of the KPL board of directors. Non-voting members include the Kenya Football Coaches Association and the Kenya Football Referees Association.
Sponsorship
The league's growth and increased fan engagement have attracted various corporate partners. The league previously maintained a long-standing broadcasting relationship with SuperSport and equipment deals with Umbro and Puma. On 24 November 2020, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) signed a seven-year broadcasting deal with StarTimes worth US$1.1 million (KSh110 million) annually. This was followed by a major broadcasting agreement with Azam TV in August 2023. The seven-year deal, valued at US$9.1 million (KSh1.3 billion), established Azam as the official broadcast partner, with an initial payment of US$1 million and a 10% annual increment for subsequent seasons. On 17 September 2025, the FKF and SportPesa entered into a long-term partnership. This 10-year deal, valued at KSh1.12 billion (US$8.6 million), returned the betting firm to the league's primary sponsorship slot.
Title sponsor history Tusker Premier League (2012–2015) SportPesa Premier League (2015–2018) The deal ended in 2018 when the company temporarily ceased Kenyan operations. BetKing Premier League (2020–2021) However, this agreement was terminated in 2021. SportPesa League (2025–present)
Competition There are 18 clubs in the Kenyan Premier League. During the course of a season, traditionally from February to November, but switched to August to May in 2018, each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), for a total of 34 games. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, the ordering is determined by their head-to-head records. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The two lowest placed teams are relegated to the National Super League, with its top two teams promoted in their place. The 16th placed team squares off with the third-best team from the National Super League for the third promotion slot.
Previous winners YearsWinners 1963 Nakuru All-Stars (1)1964 Luo Union (1)1965 Feisal (1)1966 Abaluhya Léopards (1)1967 Abaluhya Léopards (2)1968 Gor Mahia (1)1969 Not held1970 Abaluhya Léopards (3)1971 Scrapped1972 Tusker (1)1973 Abaluhya Léopards (4)1974 Gor Mahia (2)1975 Luo Union (2)1976 Gor Mahia (3)1977 Tusker (2)1978 Tusker (3)1979 Gor Mahia (4)1980 Abaluhya Léopards (5)1981 Abaluhya Léopards (6)1982 Abaluhya Léopards (7)1983 Gor Mahia (5)1984 Gor Mahia (6)1985 Gor Mahia (7)1986 Abaluhya Léopards (8)1987 Gor Mahia (8)1988 Abaluhya Léopards (9)1989 Abaluhya Léopards (10)1990 Gor Mahia (9)1991Gor Mahia (10)1992 Abaluhya Léopards (11)1993 Gor Mahia (11)1994Tusker (4)1995Gor Mahia (12)1996 Tusker (5)1997 Utalii (1)1998 Abaluhya Léopards (12)1999Tusker (6)2000Tusker (7)2001 Oserian Fastac (1)2002Oserian Fastac (2)2003Ulinzi Stars (1)2004Ulinzi Stars (2)2005Ulinzi Stars (3)2006Sony Sugar (1)2007Tusker (8)2008Mathare United (1)2009Sofapaka (1)2010Ulinzi Stars (4)2011Tusker (9)2012Tusker (10)2013Gor Mahia (13)2014Gor Mahia (14)2015Gor Mahia (15)2016Tusker (11)2017Gor Mahia (16)2018Gor Mahia (17)2018–19Gor Mahia (18)2019–20Gor Mahia (19) 2020–21Tusker (12)2021–22Tusker (13)2022–23Gor Mahia (20)2023–24Gor Mahia (21)2024–25Kenya Police (1)2025–26Gor Mahia (22) Source: RSSSF – Kenya – List of champions
Total titles won ClubWinnersWinning yearsGor Mahia221968, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2025–26Tusker131972, 1977, 1978, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2020–21, 2021–22A.F.C. Leopards121966, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1998Ulinzi Stars42003, 2004, 2005, 2010Luo Union21964, 1975Oserian2001, 2002Nakuru AllStars11963Feisal1965Utalii1997Sony Sugar2006Mathare United2008Sofapaka2009Kenya Police2024–25
Top scorers in past seasons
The league record for most goals scored in one season is currently held by Maurice Ochieng, who completed the 1976 season with 26 goals for Gor Mahia. His former teammate, Joe Kadenge, praised him as a lethal striker in front of goal.
YearPlayerClubGoals1976 Maurice OchiengGor Mahia262006 Boniface AmbaniTusker212007 Kevin NgugiCoast Stars152008 Francis OumaMathare United152009 John BarazaSofapaka15 Emeka JosephTusker15 2010 John BarazaSofapaka152011 Stephen WaruruUlinzi Stars122012 John BarazaSofapaka182013 Jacob KeliKCB FC172014 Dan SserunkumaGor Mahia162015 Jesse WereTusker222016 John MakwattaUlinzi Stars182017 Masoud JumaKariobangi Sharks172018 Erick KapaitoKariobangi Sharks162018–19 Allan WangaKakamega Homeboyz17 Umaru KasumbaSofapaka17 Enosh OchiengUlinzi Stars172019–20 Timothy OtienoTusker142020–21 Erick KapaitoKariobangi Sharks242021–22 Derrick OtangaKCB16 Elvis RupiaKenya Police27 Benson OmalaGor Mahia Moses ShumahKakamega Homeboyz Joe WaitheraMuranga SEAL
Multiple hat-tricks Rank Country PlayerHat-tricks 1 Elvis Rupia 52Erick Kapaito4John Makwatta4 Benson Omala3 Jesse Were6Enoch Agwanda1Boniface Akenga Elvis Barasa Ojok Deogracious Ibrahim JoshuaLawrence JumaMasoud Juma Patrick KadduMeddie KagereMichael Karamor Sydney Lokale Boniface MuchiriPaul MungalKeiphas Mutuu John Mwangi Enosh OchiengRaymond Ochieng Bernard OdhiamboVincent Ogolla George Ogutu Michael OlungaFelix Oluoch Justine OmwandoMwingi Shami Kibwama Erisa SsekisambuDan SserunkumaJacques TuyisengeVictor UmunePhilip WanjalaStephen WaruruBrian Yakhama
See also Kenyan Women's Premier League Kenyan football league system Kagame Interclub Cup
References
External links Kenyan Premier League at FIFA (archived) Kenya – List of Champions at the RSSSF KPL website (archived)