SS Assad FC

Work feels lighter when you enjoy what you do. Grateful for the opportunity to keep learning and growing. – at Nairobi, Kenya

Liverpool 0, @Arsenal 1: Fourteen years later, Anfield falls Arsenal had not won a league game at Anfield since 2012. Thirteen visits came and went without victory. On Sunday, the wait ended. One nil to the Gunners. The goal came in the 16th minute. A fine Arsenal move ended with Declan Rice crossing to the back post, where Kai Havertz finished. Simple, sharp and decisive. Liverpool did not lack effort. They held the ball for long spells in the first half and pushed hard for an equaliser after the break. Arsenal stayed calm and defended with real discipline. As the game wore on, Liverpool found fewer ways through. Gary Neville described Arsenal's defending as a masterclass and it is hard to argue. The win sends Arsenal back to the top of the table. It is a strong statement in the title race. Credit to Liverpool as well. They created chances and will take positives from the afternoon. Was this the result that shows what Arsenal can achieve this season? #PremierLeague #Arsenal #Liverpool #Anfield @LFC @premierleague @DStv_Kenya @DStv @DStvCare 📸 Courtesy – at Mombasa, Kenya

Brighton make history at the Etihad @BHAFC beat @ManCity 1-0 in the @premierleague on Saturday and it was a result that will be talked about for a good while. The win, secured at the Etihad Stadium on matchday nine, was the first ever for the Seagulls at the ground. The game was decided early. In the 11th minute, Brighton won a free kick and played a long diagonal ball towards City's left side. The defending was a touch loose and Maxim De Cuyper found Yasin Ayari, who finished to put the visitors in front. It was a simple, well worked move and it proved to be the only goal of the afternoon. Both sides made changes after a thrilling cup tie in midweek, which City won on penalties and the match settled into a clear pattern. City held the bigger share of the ball, around 55 per cent in the first half and had plenty of touches in Brighton's area. What they lacked was the final pass and by half time they had yet to create a chance of real quality. The second half brought more of the same. City pushed hard for an equaliser and Brighton answered with discipline. Lewis Dunk blocked an effort from @Erling and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made important saves, stopping Ndiaye shortly after a header went wide and later denying Nunes. His handling was a big reason the lead survived. Brighton had their own moments late on. Georginio Rutter held the ball up well and set up Jack Hinshelwood with the chance to make the game safe, but the opportunity went begging. It made no difference to the outcome and the visitors held on for a deserved three points. It was a performance built on organisation and concentration, and a day the Brighton supporters will remember. For City, it is a frustrating afternoon, but an early one in a long season. #PremierLeague #ManCityvBrighton #MCIBHA #Football 📸 Courtesy – at Diana, Kenya

Chelsea Answer Back at Stamford Bridge @ChelseaFC bounced back from last weekend's defeat to @SpursOfficial in the best way possible, beating @ManUtd 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the lunchtime kick off. The first half ended goalless, but the match changed within five minutes of the restart. Morgan Rogers collected the ball and ran through the middle of United's defence before chipping Senne Lammens to make it 1-0 in the 50th minute. It was a lovely finish from Rogers, though United will feel the route to goal was far too open. The game then turned on a single passage of play. Lisandro Martinez was shown a red card in the 63rd minute following a challenge on Wesley Fofana as a corner came in and Chelsea were awarded a penalty. Cole Palmer stepped up and converted in the 64th minute, scoring his 50th @premierleague goal. With United down to ten men, Chelsea saw out the remaining half hour without further trouble. Palmer was replaced by Quenda deep into added time and the three points were safely secured. The result matters beyond the scoreline. Chelsea had lost to Spurs a week earlier, so responding with a win in front of their own supporters, against a rival of this size, will give the squad real belief. There is still work to do, but this was a good afternoon for the Blues. For United, it was a seventh league match without a win and a day to put behind them quickly before their next fixture. 📸 Courtesy – at Diana, Kenya

Registration for the 2027 Mozzart Bet Cup opens on Monday, 2 November 2026 and it is a date every club in Kenya should have marked. Few competitions in our football are as open as this one. Clubs from the top flight to the lower leagues enter the same draw and on any given day a small side from the grassroots can stand across the pitch from a big name. That is where the best stories in the game come from. The cup matters beyond the trophy. It gives smaller clubs a national stage, gives players a chance to be noticed and brings football to towns and communities that do not often host big fixtures. It also rewards the champions with a place in continental competition, which keeps the ambition alive for everyone who enters. My advice to club officials is to get your paperwork, squads and registration details in order early and to follow the official FKF channels for the requirements and deadlines. Best wishes to every club preparing to take part. May the 2027 edition be fair, exciting and good for Kenyan football. @Football_Kenya @FKFCup @ssassadfc #MozzartBetCup #FKFCup #KenyanFootball – at Diana, Kenya

USD 25 MILLION FOR EVERY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. HERE IS WHAT IT REALLY MEANS. FIFA has proposed a Surplus Solidarity Programme that would pay all 211 member associations USD 25 million each over 2027 to 2030. Total planned distribution funding would more than double to USD 6.35 billion. For Kenya's national association, that is about KES 3.23 billion over four years, roughly KES 800 million a year. The full programme comes to over KES 820 billion. Confederations, zonal associations and other stakeholders would also see their Forward 4.0 entitlements rise significantly, though FIFA has not published those amounts. Two things will decide whether this works. First, sustainability. A surplus is not guaranteed income, so associations should plan around money that has arrived, not money that has been promised. Second, governance. The proposal still has to pass the FIFA Council in December 2026 and the Congress in March 2027. The rules on eligibility, disbursement and audit will matter more than the headline figure. The money should reach coaches, referees, clubs and grassroots players, not stall at headquarters. The focus on women's and youth football, long term projects and infrastructure is the right one. But judge it by results: more girls playing, better coaching, working pitches, functioning leagues. Done well, this is one of the biggest development investments the game has seen. Done carelessly, it just enlarges budgets. December and March will tell us which. What should be the first priority for the money? #FIFA #FootballDevelopment #Kenya #WomensFootball #YouthFootball *Shilling figures are approximate, at about KES 129.2 to the US dollar. The programme is a proposal and is subject to approval. – at Nairobi, Kenya

A fitting way to begin 2027. FC Bayern and Ajax Amsterdam opening the Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi is a proud moment for Kenyan football and it says a great deal about the confidence the international game now has in the country as a host. Two clubs with such rich traditions will give the occasion the stature it deserves. From a football point of view, an evening like this offers far more than ninety minutes of entertainment. Kenyan players, coaches, referees and young supporters will be able to watch elite standards of preparation, tactical organisation and match management at close quarters. Ajax has long been admired for the way it develops young talent, while Bayern is respected for its professionalism on and off the pitch. Both offer useful lessons for local clubs and academies hoping to strengthen the pathway from grassroots football to the senior game. Kenyan supporters have a passion for the game that is well known, from the local leagues to the big European fixtures watched every weekend in homes, bars and community halls across the country. Seeing two of those famous shirts in Nairobi will be a special moment for fans who have followed these clubs from afar for years. A warm and respectful atmosphere in the stands will show the world Kenyan hospitality and football culture at their best. There is also a wider sporting benefit. Visits of this kind often open the door to coaching clinics, youth exchanges and partnerships that continue long after the teams have gone home. If the visiting clubs can engage with local academies during their stay, the impact on young Kenyan athletes could be lasting. The commercial side is worth noting as well. Ticketing, hospitality, transport, accommodation, food and retail will all see increased activity and much of it will reach small businesses and households around the venue. Strong interest from sponsors and broadcasters would also help demonstrate the appetite for football in the region, supporting further investment in facilities, leagues and community sport. Finally, this fixture is a valuable rehearsal ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027. Crowd management, ticketing, security, transport links and fan experience can all be tested and refined well before the continental tournament. That operational learning will be as important as the match itself, because it builds confidence among visiting teams, confederations and fans. Congratulations to FC Bayern, Ajax and everyone involved in bringing this match to Kenya. We look forward to a safe, vibrant and memorable evening and to a stadium that serves Kenyan sport and communities for many years to come. @FCBayern @AFCAjax @ssassadfc

Ajax in Nairobi is a lovely prospect. The club has given world football so much and Kenyan fans will be thrilled to see that famous shirt up close. Ajax is known first for its academy. De Toekomst has produced talent for decades and the club's patient approach to youth is admired everywhere. Our own academies can learn plenty from it. Technique, intelligent movement and confidence on the ball start early and this is the model to study. The style of play matters too. Ajax built its name on quick passing, smart positioning and attacking football that is a joy to watch. Kenyan coaches and young players attending the match will pick up ideas they can use at training the very next week. There is also the wider picture. A club of this standing choosing Kenya sends a strong message. It shows trust in our fans, our facilities and our people. That kind of confidence takes years to build and it can open doors for the local game. Grassroots football could gain a great deal. A coaching clinic, a school visit or a small exchange with a local academy would leave a lasting mark. Even a few hours with the visiting squad can change how a young player sees his future. Supporters deserve credit as well. Kenya has a deep love for the game and this fixture is a fitting reward for that loyalty. The atmosphere on the day should be superb. To the Ajax family, karibu Kenya. We hope the squad enjoys the welcome, the warmth and the football culture here. To everyone behind the arrangements, well done. A match of this size is never easy to deliver. We look forward to a safe, joyful and memorable occasion on 5 January. May the football be as beautiful as the setting. @AFCAjax @ShukraniKuzi @ssassadfc – at Nairobi, Kenya

Article 5: The Betway Premiership, Where the Money Is At the top of the pyramid sits the Betway Premiership, run by the Premier Soccer League. Sixteen clubs play 240 matches a season. The 2025/26 season ran from 9 August 2025 to 23 May 2026 and was won by Orlando Pirates, who finished on 69 points, one ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns, on the final day. The 2026/27 season is now under way, with Kruger United and Milford among the newly promoted clubs. The league is governed by a Board of Governors made up of its member clubs, which is a big reason it operates as a single commercial product. Sponsorship and broadcasting are the two main sources of income. The league has carried several title sponsors, among them Castle Lager, Absa from 2007 to 2020, DStv from 2020 and now Betway. Absa was reported to be paying more than R100 million (about KSh 780 million) a season. DStv ended its deal a year early in 2024 and Betway took over naming rights in a three year deal worth about R900 million (about KSh 7.02 billion), which the company's chief executive called the biggest single investment in South African sport. Because the deal started in 2024, it runs through the 2026/27 season and no renewal had been announced at the time of writing. DStv also remains the sponsor of the reserve league, the DStv Diski Challenge, with a further five years confirmed. Broadcast rights have long been the league's largest source of income. SuperSport won its first rights deal in 2007, worth R1 billion (about KSh 7.8 billion) over five years and by the 2019 renewal the figure had grown to R2.2 billion (about KSh 17.2 billion). In June 2026 the CANAL+ Group, which recently acquired MultiChoice, confirmed an extension across Sub Saharan Africa covering the Premiership, the MTN8, the Carling Knockout, the Nedbank Cup and the Motsepe Foundation Championship. The financial terms were not disclosed. In 2024/25 SuperSport showed all 240 Premiership matches and passed a package of 51 matches to the SABC, including 23 Premiership games, so that selected fixtures reach free to air viewers. Clubs share in the money. The champions now receive R20 million (about KSh 156 million), up from R15 million (about KSh 117 million) under DStv. Orlando Pirates also collected R10 million (about KSh 78 million) for winning the MTN8 and R6.8 million (about KSh 53 million) for the Carling Knockout in 2025/26. In 2024 the PSL chairman said each club receives a grant of about R2.5 million a month (about KSh 19.5 million), plus R3 million (about KSh 23.4 million) as an ex gratia payment and R5 million (about KSh 39 million) for preparation each season. That comes to more than R30 million (about KSh 234 million) a year per club. He added that the Betway money would not automatically raise the grants.

Article 4: The Motsepe Foundation Championship, the Professional Second Tier The Motsepe Foundation Championship, formerly the National First Division, is the second tier and the lower of the two divisions run by the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Sixteen clubs play in it each season. The league was known as the GladAfrica Championship until July 2022, when the Motsepe Foundation stepped in as sponsor. The value of the deal was not disclosed, although Dr Patrice Motsepe described it as significant. The Foundation reports a prize of R5 million (about KSh 39 million) for the champions. Clubs also receive a monthly grant from the PSL. It was reported at about R500,000 per club (about KSh 3.9 million a month) in 2024 and in 2022 clubs said it had stayed the same since 2016. One club chairman said a Championship side needs roughly another R5 million (about KSh 39 million) a season on top of the grant to run properly. Even in a well organised system, this tier depends on a mix of league grants, owner investment and local support. Television helps. SuperSport shows Championship matches and the rights extension announced by the CANAL+ Group in June 2026 names the Championship alongside the Premiership and the cup competitions. In 2024/25 the public broadcaster SABC also took six Championship matches as part of a wider package. The route up is clear. At the end of 2025/26, Kruger United won the league and went up automatically. Cape Town City and Milford, who finished second and third on 54 points each, joined the Premiership's 15th placed club in a three team playoff and Milford won it to take the second promotion place. Clubs from both professional divisions sit on the PSL's Board of Governors, so second tier clubs have a say in how the league is run. League status can also be transferred between clubs, as happened in 2023 when Black Leopards took over a Championship place.

Article 3: The ABC Motsepe League, the Gateway to Professional Football The ABC Motsepe League is the third tier of South African football and the first national step toward the professional game. Officially it is the SAFA Second Division. It began in 1998 as the Vodacom League and kept that name until 2012. The present name honours Augustine Butana Chaane Motsepe, the late father of businessman Patrice Motsepe, whose foundation sponsors the league. Given the size of the country, the league is split into nine provincial divisions, one for each province, with about 144 teams in total according to SAFA. The winner of each division goes into the national playoffs. In 2025/26 the playoffs opened on 2 June 2026, went through the semi finals on 6 June and ended with a final at the Mthatha Stadium on 7 June. Hope FC from the Western Cape beat NWU Soccer Institute 5 to 3 on penalties after a 1 all draw and both finalists were promoted to the Motsepe Foundation Championship. The clubs at the bottom of each division are relegated to the Regional League. Two clubs are normally promoted, but the PSL asked for a third promotion in 2025 when a vacancy opened up, so the system has some room to adjust when it needs to. Prize money is the main funding feature. For 2025/26 the winners received R1.25 million (about KSh 9.75 million) and the runners up R600,000 (about KSh 4.68 million). Earlier editions paid R1 million and R500,000, with R200,000 (about KSh 1.56 million) and R100,000 (about KSh 780,000) of those prizes set aside for youth football projects chosen with SAFA and the Motsepe Foundation. The Foundation first sponsored the league in 2014 and has renewed the deal since. It also backs the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, a national schools tournament run with the Department of Basic Education, which links this part of the pyramid to school football.

Article 2: The Hollywoodbets Regional League, the Engine Room of Amateur Football The SAFA Regional League is the fourth tier of South African football and sits directly below the ABC Motsepe League. It is not one national table. It is a set of independent leagues run through SAFA's regions and SAFA says more than 2,000 clubs and over 50,000 players take part every week. The season starts in September and ends with provincial playoffs. Two teams from each province are promoted, which sends 18 clubs a year up to the ABC Motsepe League, while clubs relegated from that league drop back into this one. The 2026 playoffs show how it works on the ground. In one province, Dumehlezi FC from the Umkhanyakude district beat MP Thwala All Stars from the iLembe district in the final and both finalists were promoted to the ABC Motsepe League for 2026/27. SAFA also uses this tier to strengthen the base of the game. Clubs are expected to have registered junior boys and girls teams affiliated to their local football association, which ties senior football to youth development. The competition has carried the names of several big brands. It was the Castle Regional League, then the SAB Regional League after South African Breweries and since August 2023 it has been the Hollywoodbets Regional League. SAFA announced that deal as a two year sponsorship with an option to renew and the Hollywoodbets name was still in use for the 2026 playoffs. At the launch, SAFA explained that several seasons without a sponsor had been hard on clubs and that the new money would bring prize money to the competition. The value of the deal has not been made public. The set up is simple: one national sponsor sits on top of many local leagues, SAFA holds the rights and the regions deliver the football.

How South African League Football Is Organised, Funded and Sponsored South Africa has one of the best organised football pyramids in Africa. Five tiers link a village pitch to a packed stadium in Johannesburg and every tier has its own organiser, its own sponsor and a clear route upward. This series takes the pyramid one league at a time, starting at the bottom and explains how each league is structured, how it is paid for and who backs it. Tier 1: Betway Premiership. Run by the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Title sponsor: Betway. Tier 2: Motsepe Foundation Championship. Run by the PSL. Title sponsor: Motsepe Foundation. Tier 3: ABC Motsepe League. Run by SAFA. Title sponsor: Motsepe Foundation. Tier 4: Hollywoodbets Regional League. Run by SAFA. Title sponsor: Hollywoodbets. Tier 5: Local Football Association leagues. Run by SAFA through local associations. No national title sponsor. A note on figures. Amounts are given in South African rand (R), with Kenyan shilling (KSh) equivalents beside them. The conversions use R1 = KSh 7.8, which was roughly the mid market rate on 4 October 2026 and they are rounded. Older amounts are converted at today's rate, so the shilling figures show scale rather than what the money was worth when it was paid. All details were checked against SAFA, PSL, SuperSport and press reports on 5 October 2026. Article 1: Local Football Association Leagues, Where the Pyramid Begins The bottom of South Africa's pyramid is run by Local Football Associations, known as LFAs. Each LFA sits within the South African Football Association (SAFA) structure and looks after the clubs in its area. It registers clubs, appoints match officials and runs the local league, so a club in a township or a rural village has a proper home from its very first season. Competition at this level moves through four stages. Clubs first play a league within their LFA. The LFA champions then meet to decide a winner for the wider SAFA region and the regional winners play off to find a provincial winner. Finally, the provincial winners enter the national playoffs and the successful sides win a place in the Regional League above them. A village side therefore has a published route all the way up the pyramid, which is a good reason to stay registered and keep playing. The money at this level is modest and mostly comes down from SAFA. SAFA receives development funding from FIFA through the FIFA Forward programme, which is paid in four year cycles, so the association can plan ahead with some certainty. In a March 2022 statement, SAFA said it paid R12.5 million (about KSh 97.5 million) to its regions in 2020, along with a Covid support grant of R6.3 million (about KSh 49 million) from the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust, which closed its affairs in February 2022. Newer totals for payments to the regions have not been published. Much of the daily cost, including kits, transport and referees' fees, is carried by club owners and local supporters. Sponsorship at this level is local and informal. There is no national title sponsor for LFA leagues and the commercial attention in South African football starts one tier up.

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