- Gor Mahia earned record breaking revenue in the SportPesa League this season from the Mashemeji Derby ticket sales.
- The game however ended in defeat for Gor Mahia.
- Julius Masaba scored the all-important goal for AFC Leopards.
Gor Mahia walked away from the 98th Mashemeji Derby with disappointment on the pitch, but with a record-breaking financial boost off it.
Despite succumbing to a 0-1 defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals, K’Ogalo had some reason to smile after pocketing KSh 7,011,500 from ticket sales at a sold-out Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
This is after club treasurer Gerphas Okuku confirmed the Mashemeji Derby revenue collected.
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How much did Gor collect from Mashemeji Derby ticket sales?
“We collected 𝐊𝐒𝐡.𝟕,𝟎𝟏𝟏,𝟓𝟎𝟎 from ticket sales during today’s derby match at Nyayo Stadium. We sincerely thank our fans for the outstanding turnout and unwavering support,” he confirmed.
The club came into the derby under pressure, having been humbled 4–1 by SportPesa League newcomers APS Bomet the previous weekend.
Their hopes of bouncing back were dealt another blow when AFC Leopards stunned them at home, with Julius Masaba pouncing on a poor clearance in the 24th minute to hand Ingwe a priceless win.
The goal proved enough for coach Fred Ambani’s charges, who went on to secure maximum points and complete a memorable afternoon for the blue and white side of the rivalry.
Sold out Nyayo National Stadium
Even with the disappointing result, the financial figures told a different story. Tickets sold exclusively online were priced at KSh 300 for regular, KSh 1,000 for VIP and KSh 5,000 for VVIP and fans turned up in massive numbers.
The derby attracted one of the biggest crowds in recent years, pushing Gor Mahia’s revenue to the highest recorded by any club in the SportPesa League this season.
In fact, the last time a club generated such an amount was in the first leg of the 24/25 Mashemeji Derby when AFC Leopards collected slightly over KSh 7.3 million from the same venue.
The fierce rivalry between the two sides continues to be not only Kenya’s most emotionally charged fixture but also its most commercially rewarding.
This year’s derby was not without drama even before kick-off. The match had to be rescheduled multiple times due to venue conflicts.
Initially set for 30th November at Kasarani Stadium, the fixture was moved because the facility had been reserved for Nairobi United’s CAF Confederation Cup tie against AS Maniema Union.
Nyayo Stadium was then considered, only for the date to clash with World AIDS Day activities organized by State House, forcing another postponement.
Even in the final week leading to the match, the derby came close to being pushed forward once again as the Kenya Defence Forces were using Nyayo Stadium for Jamhuri Day rehearsals.
Fortunately, they cleared the pitch in time, allowing the much-anticipated showdown to proceed.
Although Gor Mahia’s faithful were left frustrated by the result, the club’s financial windfall softens the blow.
The Mashemeji Derby reaffirmed its status as Kenya’s biggest football event one that delivers passion, drama and significant revenue every single edition.