There are many reasons why many clubs don’t attract fans to the stadiums—only a few of them attract fans. Shabana,Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are the only clubs that attract fans. Below we provide reasons why many clubs don’t attract fans and what they should do to attract fans.
Love for European leagues
Kenyan fans love to watch European club matches. They believe that Kenyan league is inferior and less motivating. English Premier League is the most popular league in Kenya.
Few foreign players
Foreign players in KPL teams are few, which is not a good thing. Clubs in Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco have foreign players, which is why they attract fans to their stadiums. If Kenyans hear that a top player from EPL,Germany League or Spain have joined local clubs, Kenyans will throng to stadiums to see them play.
The local league is not competitive enough to attract foreign players.
Match fixing
Match fixing is rampant in the KPL. Fans don’t enjoy a game where they know that the result is pre-determined. If match fixing is eliminated, then fans will find a reason to watch local matches.
Lack of support from the government
The Kenyan government doesn’t support local teams much. The stadiums are in poor condition; players are not paid decent salaries. Even the winning EPL team doesn’t get decent pay. In 2025 the EPL winning team, Police FC,was paid by the government Ksh5 million only.
Violence in stadiums
Many people fear watching local matches because of violence. Women won’t attend matches where they know that there would be violence. This is one thing that scare football fans in Kenya.
