The highly anticipated match between Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League heavyweights Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards Football Clubs, dubbed the Mashemeji derby, has been postponed.
The clash which had originally been scheduled for Sunday, November 24 was postponed indefinitely on Thursday due to the unavailability of a venue.
Sports Kenya announced that the Nyayo National Stadium which was the scheduled venue and that is currently undergoing renovations, will not be available for the match.
AFC Leopard, who were the host of the FKF-PL clash, confirmed about the postponement in a statement.
“We regret to inform you that the much-anticipated FKF PL match – AFC Leopards SC vs Gor Mahia FC – #MashemejiDerby earlier scheduled to be played on Sunday, 24th November 2024, 1600Hrs at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi has been postponed to a later date,” the club said.
“This is due to the unavailability of the match venue, which is undergoing renovations in preparation for the upcoming CHAN 2024 Competition.”
Also Read: Gor Mahia Fires Head Coach Leonardo Neiva
Mashemeji derby postponed
The club further said that it shall communicate the rescheduled dates in due course.
Nyayo Stadium was closed in August for renovation ahead of the 2024 Africa Nation Championships.
The venue is a busy construction site with a media center and dressing room undergoing massive renovations.
Construction materials have been assembled near the entrance though construction work is yet to begin at the stands and the playing surface.
Gor Mahia were the last team to play at Nyayo when they hosted Egyptian side Al Ahly in the second leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League on September 21.
ADVERT
Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums’ closure affects clubs
Moi International Sports Center (MISC), Kasarani on the other hand was closed on December 16, last year and has been undergoing renovations.
It is one of the designated venues for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Also Read: AFC Leopards Collect Ksh1.4 million Through Ticket Sales
Closure of Nyayo and Kasarani has impacted negatively on the Nairobi-based clubs with Gor and AFC forced to host their league games at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County.
However, a high-risk clash of Mashemeji derby magnitude can’t be handled at the facility which has also been overused in the eight-round of league matches played so far.
Earlier this week, Gor Mahia CEO Ray Oruo said they had not got any communication on the match venue, adding that they would know the fate of the contest in a meeting with the leagues and competition committee on Wednesday.
“We don’t know the venue of the game yet,” said Oruo.
Lately, FKF-PL has witnessed violent behavior perpetrated by the two sets of the popular clubs heightening the need for a facility that can handle the high-risk clash.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and join our WhatsApp Group for real-time news updates.
