FIFA Orders Relegation of Kenyan Club Muhoroni Youth for Match Manipulation
The world football governing body, FIFA, has issued a directive for the relegation of Kenyan second-tier team Muhoroni Youth after uncovering evidence of match manipulation, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced on Friday.
This decision comes as the latest development in a series of scandals plaguing Kenyan football, with longstanding concerns surrounding match-fixing in the country.
Following an investigation, FIFA determined that Muhoroni Youth had engaged in activities related to the manipulation of football matches and competitions.
Consequently, the club’s senior team has been removed from the FKF National Super League and will be relegated to the third-tier Division One League for the upcoming season.
The FKF has expressed its full support for FIFA’s decision and reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on match-fixing and any form of manipulation that compromises the integrity of the sport.
This ruling follows another notable incident involving former national team goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, who faced suspension in March over allegations of fixing Kenya’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Cameroon in Yaoundé last year. Kenya suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat in the match, significantly impacting their chances of qualifying for the tournament in Morocco.
Match-fixing issues have been a recurring problem in Kenyan football. In 2020, FIFA handed bans to four players, one of them a lifetime suspension, for their involvement in an “international conspiracy” to manipulate league matches. Additionally, five referees were also suspended in connection with the same scandal.
The Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis, a government-affiliated think tank, has previously warned about the pervasive nature of match-fixing in Kenyan football, spanning from grassroots competitions to the professional level.
