FKF Premier League clubs agree to return to KPL-like league management body
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 28.05.26. | 17:04
The club chairmen unanimously resolved to establish a Transition League Management Committee (TLMC) immediately
FKF Premier League club chairmen have on Thursday issued a statement confirming agreement to begin the process of establishing an independent league management body following a high-level meeting held on Tuesday in Nairobi.
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The meeting was also attended by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed.
According to the statement, the meeting brought together chairmen of clubs competing in the 2025/26 season and was convened to deliberate on “the structural, administrative, and governance reforms necessary to elevate the FKF Premier League to a competitive standard befitting its status as Kenya’s flagship football competition and to position it among the continent’s elite domestic leagues.”
In their discussions, the chairmen acknowledged the progress made in Kenyan club football and expressed a shared determination to build on that momentum.
They noted that “recognising best practices from established football traditions regionally and globally, the chairmen agreed that a structurally autonomous league management body is essential for the sustainable professionalisation of the FKF PL.”
At the centre of the resolutions was an agreement to work towards the establishment of a fully independent league body that will oversee the organisation, commercial rights, and overall operations of the FKF Premier League.
However, the clubs emphasised that this transition must be undertaken within existing legal and contractual structures, being “cognizant of existing contractual obligations with the League’s principal sponsors, including the league sponsor and Broadcast partner Azam Media,” as well as compliance with “the legal and regulatory framework governing football administration in Kenya, including the FKF Constitution and its operational statutes.”
The statement further underscored that the process will be guided by inclusivity and stakeholder engagement, highlighting “the need for broad-based stakeholder consultation to ensure an inclusive and legally sound transition process".
The renewed push for reform comes against the backdrop of key governance changes in recent years. The Football Kenya Federation officially took over management of the top-tier league from KPL Limited on 24 September 2020, after the federation, then under President Nick Mwendwa, declined to renew the expired management agreement.
The original FKF–KPL Limited arrangement, which began in 2003, had given the company a 17-year mandate to run the league before its expiry, effectively bringing an end to an era of private management of Kenya’s top-flight competition.
Following the transition, FKF officially assumed full control in November 2020 and rebranded the competition as the FKF Premier League, a structure that has remained in place since.
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As part of the reform agenda, the club chairmen unanimously resolved to establish a Transition League Management Committee (TLMC) immediately.
The committee will be tasked with developing clear terms of reference and timelines to guide the formation and eventual operationalisation of the proposed autonomous league structure.
They further resolved that “the transition process shall at all times operate in conformity with the FKF Constitution and its attendant statutes" and that it shall be “comprehensive and inclusive, ensuring full accommodation of concerns and interests from all relevant stakeholders.”
In conclusion, the FKF Premier League club chairmen reaffirmed their commitment to “the shared vision of a professionally managed and competitive Kenyan Premier League", calling on all stakeholders to support what they described as a transformative step in the continued development and professionalisation of Kenyan football.
