- The Mashemeji Derby between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards will take place on Sunday, March 30, at Nyayo Stadium at 4:00 PM.
- The rivalry match has been postponed twice due to the unavailability of a suitable stadium.
- This has affected AFC Leopards’ Annual General Meeting, which was originally scheduled for that date and has now been pushed back to the 29th.
AFC Leopards has officially confirmed that the highly anticipated Mashemeji Derby between them and Gor Mahia, which has been postponed twice, will now take place on March 30, 2025, at the Nyayo National Stadium for the first leg of the fierce rivalry.
“Our much-awaited FKF-PL match no. 79 against arch-rivals, Gor Mahia FC- Mashemeji Derby, will now be played on Sunday 30 March 2025, at Nyayo National Stadium at 4.0Opm,” rread part of the statement released by the host on their social media.
This match, which draws a massive crowd from across the country and parts of East Africa, is one of the biggest sporting events in the region.
However, it has faced several setbacks, including being postponed twice.
Initially, according to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) calendar, the match was scheduled for Sunday, November 24, 2024, but was called off due to the unavailability of a suitable venue
The postponement arose from efforts to secure Nyayo Stadium, which was undergoing renovations in preparation for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.
The match was then rescheduled for March 3, 2025, but was once again delayed at the last minute, despite both clubs having begun promoting the event, confident that they had secured a venue.
However, they later announced the unavailability of both major stadiums in the country: Nyayo Stadium and Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Play to win Ksh408M SportPesa MJP
The confirmation that the match will proceed comes after Kenya received approval to host international fixtures at home by CAF, with Nyayo Stadium now meeting the necessary CAF and FIFA standards.
After four years without hosting international matches, Kenya will finally be able to hold a game at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, March 23, when Harambee Stars face Gabon in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
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Prior to this, Kenya hosted the Uganda U-17 girls for the second leg of their FIFA World Cup Qualifier last weekend.
Mashemeji Derby affects AFC Leopards AGM
However, AFC Leopards announced that the rescheduled match will affect the timing of the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which has now been moved to March 29, 2025.
“To this effect, the club’s Annual General Meeting that was scheduled to bc held on Sunday 30h March 2025 has now been pushed back to 29t March 2025, at a venue that will be communicated later on Monday 24 March 2025 after confirmation. We would like to thank our members and fans for the patience they have exercised during this period. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the club’s statement continued.
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Now that the derby date has been confirmed, both teams have less than a week to prepare, with both sides having shown significant improvement in their recent performances.