FKF Youth League finals set for this weekend

Action in a past FKF Youth League match

By Erick Kariuki
Friday, January 24, 2025

The FKF Youth League 2024 will culminate this weekend, January 25–26, marking the conclusion of its second edition. With 786 teams from six counties participating, the league has grown significantly since its launch in July 2024, aiming to tap into grassroots talent and inspire the next generation of football stars.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Youth League 2024 is set to conclude this weekend, with finals scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, January 25–26, 2025. The league's second edition has seen significant growth, with 786 teams participating across six counties since its launch on July 6, 2024.

Focused on grassroots talent development, the league has attracted young players from Turkana, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Nairobi. FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga highlighted the federation's vision to nurture talent across the country.

“We are focused on developing players for our national U13 and U15 teams. Many will recall the U17 Coca-Cola Cup that once united young players to enjoy the game and showcase their skills. Our goal is to create something even bigger, an initiative that taps into talent from every corner of the country, inspiring young players to dream of a future in football,” said Mariga.

The league, held across 15 centres, includes four in Nairobi West (Westlands, Dagoretti, Lang’ata, and Starehe) and six in Nairobi East (Kasarani, Kayole, Kariobangi, Babadogo, Mukuru, and Makadara). Finals for Nakuru and Turkana will take place on Saturday, while Kakamega, Kisumu, and Mombasa finals are set for Sunday. Nairobi will hold finals on both days.

FKF Technical Director Michael Amenga praised the league’s progress, noting steady growth despite initial challenges.

“When we started, there was skepticism, and participation was low. But we’ve grown steadily, and the results are encouraging. This league has become a key stepping stone for young players to showcase their skills and attract scouts,” Amenga stated.

By July 6, 2024, only 200 teams had registered for the league. However, as word spread, registrations surged before the July 15 deadline. This year, the league features U13, U15, and the newly introduced U17 categories for both boys and girls.

In last year’s edition, Rodney Strikers dominated the Boys U13 and U15 categories, while SJF and Ladies Musa won the Girls U13 and U15 categories, respectively.