FKF President Hussein Mohammed Breaks Down Financial Struggles Behind Women's Football Turmoil

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohammed has outlined the challenges the federation faces in managing women’s football amid growing unrest in the game.

The Kenyan Women’s Premier League (KWPL) was recently thrown into crisis after 11 of the 12 participating clubs staged a coordinated boycott of league matches, citing financial neglect and a lack of communication from the federation.

Led by the Clubs Leadership Caucus, the teams are demanding the release of FIFA Women’s Development funds and the acquisition of a title sponsor, arguing that the league has become financially unsustainable for both players and staff.

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In response, Hussein Mohammed moved to address the concerns, offering clarification on the financial situation and outlining the steps the federation has taken to support and grow women’s football in the country.

Hussein Mohammed noted that women’s football holds significant personal importance to him, noting that since his administration took office in December 2024, a substantial portion of the federation’s available resources in the early months was directed toward supporting the women’s game.

He explained that priority had been given to ensuring the national women’s teams remained active on the international stage, with consistent participation in global fixtures and FIFA windows.

He further pointed out that the federation had made deliberate efforts to create a supportive environment for the growth of the women’s game, particularly by improving logistical arrangements and travel conditions for the national teams.

According to him, these efforts had resulted in smooth operations, with no major grievances reported from the players regarding organisation or facilitation.

Hussein Mohammed also acknowledged the financial difficulties facing the federation, explaining that his leadership inherited an institution burdened with significant debt, which continues to pose challenges.

Despite these constraints, he maintained that the federation has done its best within its means over the past year and urged stakeholders to consider the progress made during that period.

“For the first time in women's football, one of the things that the clubs failed to mention is that we brought a sponsor in. In the same breath, you look at the capacity-building programs that we've initiated. Today, as we speak, we are in the process of analysing the women's football development strategic master plan,” Hussein Mohammed said on Citizen TV.

“And all these things will come into fruition with time. If you don't appreciate your challenges or your weaknesses, you'll never grow. So, I also admit that inherently we've had a problem. And we have always looked at women's football from a different perspective.”

Hussein Mohammed went on to explain that the challenges facing women's football are not unique to Kenya, noting that the imbalance in attention between men’s and women’s football is rooted in long-standing global, cultural, and historical factors.

In response, he said the federation had taken deliberate steps to address the gap, including establishing a dedicated office within FKF focused solely on advancing the women’s game, a move he described as a first for the organisation.

Hussein Mohammed added that progress in this area requires time, revealing that the federation has been actively engaging potential sponsors while exploring new ways to direct more funding toward the development of women’s football.

However, he pointed out that national teams largely depend on government support, particularly for player allowances, training, and international assignments.

Hussein Mohammed also highlighted the challenges in attracting private sector investment, noting that most sponsorship deals are tied to specific competitions, leaving some leagues without title sponsors.

Despite this, he said the federation had managed to secure individual sponsorships for certain clubs. He concluded by emphasising that a significant portion of the available funds, estimated at around 60 per cent, had been directed toward supporting women’s football, particularly at the national team level.

“So, as we speak, and this is where I say it is important to be honest and to be genuine, even when we're doing such stories, to get feedback, also our side of the story from FKF. Till today, we have never received any money for the women's development kitty,” Hussein Mohammed said.

“Since we took office. FKF, till today, is finalising, right now is when we are finalising the strategic plan, which will be presented. We will have a sit-down with FIFA during the workshop.”

Hussein Mohammed acknowledged that the federation has faced challenges even after his administration took office, admitting that there were internal administrative issues that needed resolution.

Mohammed explained that these problems have since been addressed with the appointment of an acting General Secretary, and he expressed optimism that this will help resolve some of the lingering organisational difficulties.

He took personal responsibility for certain shortcomings, admitting that some initiatives, such as specific programs meant to unlock resources, were delayed and should have been implemented earlier. He emphasised that the federation is now taking corrective measures to address these gaps and that learning from these experiences is part of the process.

At the same time, he noted that responsibility does not rest solely with the federation, highlighting that clubs also share accountability in ensuring the smooth running and development of football. He wanted stakeholders and the public to understand that while mistakes have been made, steps are being taken to correct them and strengthen the administration moving forward.

“When you approach a sponsor, and you approach somebody to support, they ask you what the value is, what is the bottom line in terms of benefit or value that we extract from these properties. And for us, we need to create that value. And our sponsors must benefit from our partnerships. If they don't benefit, if they don't see the value, they will not come in,” he said.