- The move is aimed towards professionalizing clubs
- CAF has insisted that all top flight clubs must be licensed
- Gor Mahia were denied a Champions League slot because of club licensing rules
The Football Kenya Federation has organized a club licensing workshop for all FKF Premier League clubs, in a move towards helping professionalizing teams in the country, in line with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements.
Club licensing is a regulatory system established by CAF to ensure that football clubs participating in its competitions meet specific standards and criteria encompassing sporting, infrastructure, administrative, legal, and financial aspects.
The primary objectives of the workshop were to familiarize the clubs with the FKF draft regulations and solicit their feedback on the same.
This comes just few weeks after Gor Mahia were kicked out of the CAF Champions League for failing to tick all the boxes in the club licensing requirements.
The Federation in a bid to prevent future occurrences of the same took the 18 FKF Premier League clubs through the aspects of Sporting, Infrastructure, Legal, Personal and Administration, Finance, and the Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP). Additionally, the clubs were sensitized about the potential sanctions in case they fail to meet the licensing criteria.
“We are determined to elevate the standard of our leagues and, by working together, we can ensure our clubs meet the necessary criteria, contributing to our collective objective of achieving a truly professional football league,” remarked FKF CEO Barry Otieno.
Serious repercussions for failing to adhere
FKF CEO Barry Otieno making his remarks during the FKF Club Licensing Workshop
He further highlighted the repercussions of a team failing the club licensing process.
“If, for instance, a team fails to meet the club licensing requirements, other teams may refuse to play against them, resulting in walkovers. This, in turn, diminishes the league’s commercial value, posing challenges to its monetization and significantly impacting the entire league,” explained Otieno.
Clubs actively engaged in the workshop, providing their invaluable input to shape the final club licensing regulations.
For Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir, the enlightenment received during the workshop is instrumental in professionalizing their leagues.
“We have gained invaluable insights on the necessary steps that clubs must take to obtain the club licensing certification, allowing us to compete in the top-tier league. This knowledge is vital as we strive to professionalize our leagues.”
Kenya Police CEO Chris Oguso shared the steps taken by his club to obtain the club licensing certificate.
“We have successfully acquired Kenya Police Bullets FC to represent our women’s football team. Moreover, we have incorporated them into our payroll system and offered them an opportunity to be enlisted in the police force to give them a future after their football careers. Ensuring our players receive their monthly dues is one of our top priorities. In terms of infrastructure, we have the police Sacco stadium and maintain a well-structured secretariat hierarchy.”
Importance of providing medical cover for players
The 18 FKF PL Club representatives follow proceedings during the workshop
He further emphasized the significance of providing medical cover for the players, stating, “When a player sustains an injury, having medical cover is crucial for their recovery process. If well taken care of, it can expedite their return to the field. In contrast, without medical cover, expenses can escalate, and the player’s football journey may be abruptly shortened.”
Clubs will have to meet the mandatory requirements to be able to be given a license to compete in all domestic competitions.
The deadline for clubs to submit documents for their club licensing certificate in the Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP) will be on Saturday, August 12, 2023, and afterward will be sent to the First Instance Board for reviewing and issuance of certificates.
The club licensing process will also be rolled out to the FKF WPL, and FKF-NSL clubs in due course.
As fronted by World governing body FIFA through respective confederations, Club licensing is designed to improve club football by targeting key areas in club governance and youth football.
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