In a conference held yesterday sports betting operator SportPesa was announced as the official shirt sponsor of Kenyan club AFC Leopards in a five year deal.
The ceremony was attended by SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri, Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa, Leopards Co-Chairman Dan Mule and a host of former players amongst others including Kenyan footballing legend Joe Kadenge.
The Nairobi side is currently 2nd in the Kenyan Premier League with three matches played, the league itself is also known as the SportPesa Premier League thanks to its own sponsorship with the bookmaker.
Karauri said of the agreement: “In AFC Leopards we envision a team that will become an emblem of our national pride.AFC Leopards is a huge brand with a big fan base and we are excited to partner with them to help bring success back to the fans, who have invested a lot to sustain the club in difficult circumstances.”
He continued: “With sponsorships such as this one with AFC Leopards we will help to build a formidable footballing culture right across Kenya. We look forward to a changed narrative about the state of football in our nation in the years to come.”
The Leopards, nicknamed Ingwe, face Gor Mahia this weekend in what is Kenya’s SportPesa derby with the latter side also sponsored by the operator. The official unveiling of the bookmaker as Gor Mahia’s shirt sponsors is set for this Friday 4th March.
SportPesa also signed a partnership agreement with Arsenal in February and with a focus on promoting grassroots football it’ll see Arsenal’s scouting team identify and nurture footballing talent in Kenya.