FKF Cup Lands Sponsorship, Rebrands to GOtv Shield Cup

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President’s Cup has landed a 5-year sponsorship from Multichoice’s pay TV company GOtv in a deal that will see the top knockout tournament in the country rebranded to GOtv Shield Cup.

The pay TV provider will sponsor the tournament to the tune of Kshs. 6 Million which will go in cash rewards for the winning team up to the 4^th placed team. The winners will receive a cash windfall of Ksh1.5 million as prize money as well as KSh500, 000 for CAF Confederations Cup.

The runners up and second runners up will receive Kshs.750, 000 and Kshs. 500,000, respectively, with the fourth-placed team walking away with Kshs. 250,000.

A total of 48 teams, 16 from Kenya Premier League and 32 from Division One and Provincial League will take part in the tournament. The non-premier league clubs will play first round matches but KPL clubs have been given byes into the round of 32. Among the teams that will play in the first round include Nakumatt FC, Comply, Bidco United, Moyas, Kariobangi Sharks, Muhoroni Young, Black Mamba, Gatundu Stars, Shabana FC, Borabu Chiefs, Finlays, and Nairobi Stima among others.

The first round matches pitting Division 1 clubs against Provincial League sides will be played on July 27. The finals are slated for October 20th.

Gor Mahia are the reigning champions of the cup after they beat Sofapaka 3-0 in post-match penalties. The KPL duo have reached the final twice in the last two years with K’Ogalo emerging winners in both the 2011 and 2012 edition.

The FKF Cup was created back in 1956 and has undergone a series of name changes ever since. It was called the FA Cup of Kenya between 1956 and 1975, Mombasa Liverpool winning the inaugural tournament while Tusker FC won the last edition under that name.

The Cup rebranded to Kenya Challenge Cup in the 1976 season where Gor Mahia won it in three consecutive seasons until AFC Leopards took the next two before yet another name change.

Between 1986 and 2002, it was called the Moi Golden Cup, a name borrowed under Kenya’s 2^nd president Daniel Arap Moi. Gor Mahia, for the umpteenth time, won the first three editions until 1989 when Tusker beat AFC Leopards 5-4 on penalties to win only their second FKF Cup.

After Moi retired from politics in 2002, the FKF Cup was renamed to Transparency Cup but only for two years when it reverted to Presidents Cup, then changed to KFF Cup, then FKL Cup and finally FKF President’s Cup as of end of last season.

Current champions Gor Mahia are the most successful club having won it on 10 occasions followed by AFC Leopards.

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