What is the Most Popular Sport in Kenya? – A Quick Guide

by Luke Andrews, 17 June 2022

In our blog, we discover what the most popular sport for betting in Kenya is. We’ll also explore the Kenyan superstars and top Kenyan teams that play in that sport. We’ll also share some other sports that are popular in the country.

It probably will not come as a surprise to know that the most popular sport when using the best betting sites in Kenya is football. Like many African countries, Kenyans are football betting mad. Along with thriving domestic leagues, other football leagues such as the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga are also hugely popular at online betting sites in Kenya.

As Kenya’s time zone is similar to countries such as England, Italy, Spain and Germany, games shown in these leagues are often shown live, and a popular pastime is meeting in bars to watch them.

Club Football in Kenya

Football was introduced to Kenya when The British East African Company was granted a charter in 1888, which led to the colonization of modern-day Kenya. The Brits ruled the country until December 12, 1963, when the country became independent after the Mau Mau Uprising.

Although Britain left the country, the love of football remained, and watching their local and national teams became incredibly popular.

Harambee Stars is the Kenya national football team. However, you will not be able to place a bet at Kenyan betting sites on them as they will not be representing Kenya at the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 qualifiers due to the country being handed an indefinite ban by Fifa on February 25, 2022. The latter alleged government interference in the running of Kenya’s football federations. Therefore domestic football and football from other countries is the staple diet for Kenyan football fans.

The regulatory authority in the country is the Football Kenya Federation, founded in 2011. Kenya has one professional domestic league, the Kenyan Premier League. It started in 1963 and currently features 18 clubs. The second tier is the Kenyan National Super League, equivalent to England’s Championship and contains 20 clubs. Some customers at betting sites prefer this league as those games tend to have more goals in them.

The oldest football club is the now-defunct Maragoli FC, established in 1953 in Nairobi. It contained mainly youngsters who played the game for fun. The most senior team that is still active is A. F. C. Leopards, which was established in 1964. Although they were called Abaluhya Football club then, they changed their name in 1980.

Some of the best players currently playing in Kenya include;

Humphrey Mieno Ochieng – Ochieng plies his trade with Tusker FC as a defender. He is a no-nonsense type of player and is one of the reasons why his club has played so well. He has enjoyed previous spells with Club Africain and Gor Mahia.

Patrick Matasi – Ochieng’s teammate at Tusker, Matasi, is small for a goalkeeper, but his quick reflexes make up for his lack of height. Matasi has been a star player for his club and would likely have received a call-up for Kenya had the Fifa ban not been in place.

David Okoth – Okoth plays his club football with Kakamega Homeboyz and is popular at the best betting sites due to his incredible stamina and is full of running. After matchday 30 in the Kenya Premier League, the midfielder has chipped in with ten goals. However, Okoth will unlikely stay in the league next season after attracting plenty of international attention.

Clifton Miheso – Miheso plays as an attacker for Police FC. While he may never win the title with Police, he has received plenty of praise for his performances. With four games left to play in the Kenya Premier League, he was the joint top scorer with 11 goals and the best betting sites in Kenya have seen a flurry of activity on him due to his great goalscoring ability.

Felix Oluoch – Like Miheso, Oluoch is unlikely to win the title as he plays for the Kariobangi Sharks, but the youngster had been in great form, matching Miheso’s 11 goals. He has excellent speed, a good eye for a pass, and is a lethal finisher. So it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to move to a higher-profile team in the future.

Kenyan Players in the Premier League Era

Although local teams are popular in Kenya, the English Premier League is the biggest draw for many, especially when using sports betting sites in Kenya. Part of the reason is that some of the greatest Kenyan football players have had stints in England’s top-flight division.

Victor Wanyama – Wanyama is one of Kenya’s most famous exports and is the first Kenyan to score in the Champions League. He signed for the Belgium club Beerschot A.C. after a successful trial before moving to Scottish club Celtic for £900,000. He moved to Premier League Southampton for £12.5 million in 2013 and played there for three years before an £11m move to Tottenham. He played 69 times for Tottenham, scoring six goals and featured in the 2018/19 Champions League final in which Tottenham lost to Liverpool. The 30-year-old now plays for Canadian side CF Montréal and has scored four goals in the 61 games since his move in 2020.

Divock Origi – Origi’s father, Mike Okoth was the first Kenyan to play professional football in Europe. While Divock was born in Belgium and represented the Belgium national team, his upbringing was in Kenya before moving to Belgium via Oman. Not only is Origi a Kenyan legend, but he is also a Liverpool legend after scoring two goals in the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona. Those two goals helped Liverpool overturn a 3-0 deficit in the first leg. Liverpool won the Champions League that year, and Origi was also part of the team that the next season won the Premier League, the first one Liverpool had won and their first title for 30 years. Origi has been a popular choice at betting sites throughout his career and those who back him have fared well. The 27-year-old has scored 52 goals in all competitions since he made his debut for his previous club Lille in 2012.

Other Popular Sports in Kenya

Although football is the most popular sport at betting sites in Kenya, there is also plenty of interest in other sports, some of which might surprise you.

Rugby Union – The second most popular sport in Kenya is Rugby Union, which like football, can be explained due to the British influence on the country. There are over 50,000 registered and licenced Kenyan players. There are plenty of Kenyan rugby clubs, including Nondescripts rugby club, Kenya Harlequins rugby club, Mwamba rugby club, Impala rugby club, Homeboyz rugby club, Strathmore Leos rugby club and KCB rugby club. The Kenyan national rugby union team is the Simbas, taken from the Swahili word for Lion. Rugby betting is popular at the numerous online betting sites Kenya has to offer.

Athletics – The third most popular sport behind football is Athletics. Kenyan athletes have an excellent pedigree in the sport, especially in the cross country, field, track, and marathon disciplines. Perhaps the best known is Catherine Ndereba. She has been a two-time world champion and won the women’s Boston Marathon a remarkable four times. Kenyan runners have also excelled in London, Berlin, and New York marathons.

Volleyball – Volleyball is very popular in Kenya, especially with the younger generation who have seen their country dominate the African continent for over a decade. The Kenyan women’s national team, the Malkia Strikers, have won the Women’s African Volleyball Championship nine times, a record. Those who have backed them at the best betting sites Kenya has to offer have done well. Stars include; Agripina Kundu, Noel Murambi, Lorine Chebet, Violet Makuto, Elizabeth Wanyama, Mercy Moim, Sharon Chepchumba and Leonida Kasaya.

One of the growing sports in Kenya is baseball. The most significant tournament for the country’s professionals is the Baseball African Championship.