KCB head coach Robert Matano has urged local fans to carry the same passion and noise from the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) into the new Kenyan Premier League (KPL) campaign.
The Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, has been a cauldron of colour and noise since Kenya’s CHAN debut on August 3, with record-breaking crowds turning up to roar on Harambee Stars.
Thrown into what was widely dubbed the “group of death” alongside DR Congo, Angola, Morocco and Zambia, Stars still pulled in staggering attendances throughout the group stages.
Their opener against DR Congo drew 44,378 fans to a stadium capped at 48,000 seats, while the Angola clash drew 46,520 fans. Their clash against Morocco witnessed an overflow of nearly 70,000, with many fans forcing their way in without tickets.
The chaos saw Caf sanction Kenya, slashing Kasarani’s capacity to 27,000 for the Zambia tie, before easing it back to 36,000 for the quarter-final showdown against Madagascar. This, however, did not dim the Kenyan faithful, who have continued to throng the stadium alongside the establishment of fans zones for those without tickets, which has also seen large turnouts.
Matano believes such electric backing must now trickle into the domestic game. "Fans are very excited and happy to support the Harambee Stars in their CHAN campaign."
"We also need to see this when our league kicks off to make the local league competitive. It's only when we have a competitive league that we can have a strong national team," Matano said.
The 2025/26 KPL season kicks off on September 20, with the National Super League (NSL) beginning a week earlier on September 13. KCB face a brutal opening five fixtures.
Matano's charges kick off their 2025/26 campaign with a high-octane clash against Tusker, a side Matano knows well from his six seasons in charge. After that, they take on Mathare United before clashing with Kariobangi Sharks.
Their fourth league encounter will see them clash with record KPL champions Gor Mahia before going toe-to-toe with AFC Leopards in their fifth encounter of the season.
Reflecting on Kenya’s fairy-tale run in CHAN, Matano credited home advantage, squad unity and financial incentives for the Stars’ surge. "We did not expect such great performance from Stars, especially managing the group of death and reaching the quarters.
"Normally, the home team fights hard during such competitions. The team also has a lot of unity. The money factor has also been a huge motivation to the team," Matano added.
Harambee Stars finished the group stage unbeaten, conceding just once and racking up 1-0 wins over DR Congo, Morocco and Zambia, while drawing 1-1 with Angola to book their slot in a knock-out stage of a major football tournament for the first time in 38 years.
President William Ruto further fuelled the fire, pledging Sh1 million for every win and Sh500,000 for a draw in the group stages as well as Sh2.5 million for reaching the last eight.
Matano also praised the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) revamped leadership, crediting them with giving the game a much-needed lift. "The new administration has really been influential in helping grow football in the country, and that is why we are seeing the strong performances from Harambee Stars," he said.
But the veteran tactician insists the real foundation lies at the bottom. "To grow our leagues and the national team, we need to develop football from the grassroots. This is the backbone of all football in the country," he stated.
