Three FKF Premier League clubs – Gor Mahia, Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz have been granted club licenses that give them a chance to participate in next season’s (2023-2024) CAF Men’s interclub competitions namely; the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.In the positive development released by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Saturday 24 June, the licenses have been handed to the three teams following an application process on CAF’s new club licensing platform (CLOP), an online tool for managing the club licensing process.Gor Mahia, Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz granted club licenses by @Football_Kenya to participate in the CAF Champions League/Confed Cup next season should they qualify on sporting merit. Nzoia Sugar and Kenya Police were unable to submit their bids on time. pic.twitter.com/0KhHrmPXjp— Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) June 24, 2023 Prior to that, as per FKF, the invitation for application had been opened up to five clubs; Tusker, Gor Mahia, Kakamega Homeboyz, Kenya Police and Nzoia Sugar, with the latter two unable to submit their bids by the set deadline – 15 June 2023.Consequently, after scrutiny of the documents submitted by the clubs, the First Instance Board (FIB) – ascertained that the respective clubs had met the minimum requirements set out in the CAF Club Licensing Regulations.FKF head of Leagues and Competitions in Tanzania for CAF Club Licensing workshopAmong the requirements for the online applications were documents adhering to the five-pillar criteria encompassing; sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administrative, legal, and financial.The CAF Club licensing committee will later on ratify the granted licenses, with the Club Licensing process for the FKF Premier League clubs ahead of the 2023/24 season set to kick off in two months’ time will start in July.##NAJAVA_MECA_7336763##“Club Licensing is singularly the most viable pathway to ensure professional management and sustainable development of our football,” FKF General Secretary / CEO Barry Otieno said on the latest licensing milestone. “For a long time, we have focused on a national football administration structure yet our roots, the clubs, are built on quicksand structures. “Club licensing introduces a critical framework to strengthen football at the foundation of the game. As a Federation, we are committed to guiding the clubs to meet standards to ensure professionalism and sustainability.”The development has also seen Kenya become among the first countries within the African Confederation to grant CAF Interclub Competitions licenses barely seven months after FIFA lifted a ban on the country.A rollercoaster of emotions unfolds after Gor’s loss to Kakamega HomeboyzMeanwhile, Tusker and Gor Mahia enter the last day of the FKF Premier League season with the possibility to win the league, Gor Mahia leading the standings with 67 points, just one ahead of The Brewers.Kakamega Homeboyz, on the other hand, are in July’s Mozzart Bet Cup final against the aforementioned Tusker FC.
