Despite Harambee Stars losing on Sunday, there were six key observable improvements by the new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) administration during Kenya’s match against Gabon.Follow our WhatsApp Channel for more newsWhen they were campaigning and eventually elected to office on Saturday, 7 December 2024, the slogan of the new administration led by President Hussein Mohammed and his Vice McDonald Mariga was that of a ‘Fresh Start’.It was not only a fresh start for the personnel taking over the leadership of football but also a fresh start to the ideologies that they bring on board and the growth of football in the country.Gor Mahia issue update on Benson Omala’s availability for Mashemeji DerbySince taking over, the new administration hosted perhaps their biggest event when Kenya played host to Gabon in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Sunday, 23 March 2025, at Nyayo National Stadium, and while there were challenges, there were lots of positives from the event.From an e-ticketing system to a new package of VVIP, from an improved marketing system to prudent collaboration with the media, it was indeed a fresh start, and Mozzart Sport looks at some of the six areas where FKF got it right.E-ticketing##NAJAVA_MECA_8804857##One of the areas of concern for fans over the years has been the long queues and sometimes physical struggle in acquiring match day tickets, especially for high profile matches and in this case the national team.For the Gabon clash, FKF took the bold step to announce that there will be no physical tickets sold and that all tickets will be sold online.This form of ticketing brought with it convenience to fans who were able to buy their tickets from the comfort of anywhere at any time and brought a sense of organization for FKF.FKF President on why he won’t reveal Benni McCarthy’s salaryThe system also reduced the cost of printing, enhanced security by reducing fraud and most importantly, was environmentally friendly.The system also allowed FKF to properly plan for the match and pay service providers even before the match, as they already had the money with them.However, e-ticketing also brought with it some teething challenges, especially the verification before fans could access the stadium was a little slow and led to long queues which inconvenienced most fans. This is an area FKF may need to improve on.##NAJAVA_MECA_8807979##Improved Communication & MarketingThe administration also handled the communication leading to the match and the marketing of the match in a much better way as compared to previous games.The important updates leading to the Gabon clash came on time from FKF and leveraging on their goodwill with the media and various stakeholders at large, FKF benefited mostly from free advertisement, mobilization and marketing of the game.Gor Mahia head coach bullish ahead of Mashemeji Derby clash against AFC LeopardsThis initiative sent confidence to fans and stakeholders to attend the match with the fact that it was Kenya’s first home match in the country in over four years making it even better as fans were eager to watch their team.While there is room for improvement, the federation is going in the right direction and must do whatever it takes to maintain the goodwill.VVIP Tickets##NAJAVA_MECA_8805329##One of the ‘fresh starts’ experienced in the match was the introduction of a new category of ticketing, the VVIP.This is a category of ticketing that was not previously exploited, and the federation took the bold step of introducing it.It was even more encouraging to note that the section was sold out over 24 hrs before the game, considering that fans in this category had to part with Ksh10,000.Harambee Stars goalkeeper highlights Benni McCarthy’s best attributeThe only downside to this category was the fact that the area then became full beyond capacity and with a lot of security breaches, which is definitely not what fans who had to part with such an amount of money expected.The federation must move swiftly to address the hospitality concerns that were experienced by VVIP fans as they expected value for their money, which unfortunately was not the case.On-Pitch advertisement##NAJAVA_MECA_8805226##Advertisement is one of the key sources of revenue in matches all over the world, with teams tapping into companies that would not want or be able to offer long-term sponsorships.FKF, in their own way, attracted more than six big companies who not only had their banners during the match but also leveraged on the electronic advertising board that was installed around the pitch.Such companies also become easy to attract through e-ticketing, as the federation and the advertisers can predict the number of potential customers that they will reach.Mohammed Bajaber’s message to Kenyans after loss to GabonParking ChargesWhile parking has been largely free in the near past, FKF opted to charge for parking and made it secure for fans who opted to come with their cars.With each car parked, charged Ksh300; this was an untapped area that increased the match day revenue for the federation.##NAJAVA_MECA_8805227##The federation should just improve on security in future to have a way of verifying those who come and leave with cars, as there have been previous cases of car theft.Player WelfareFKF equally scored big in handling the biggest stakeholders, the players. From a chattered plane to and from Ivory Coast to being hosted in a top Nairobi hotel and to their match and training bonuses handled, the new federation did well on that front.KCB Group buys 75pc stake in ex-FKF boss’ fintech firmFKF Vice President McDonald Mariga was hands-on in handling the national team. Mariga was there in all the training sessions and travels.With his experience at the top level, Mariga ensured that the national team did not lack and was well prepared for the match.
