# 2017 Kenyan Premier League

The 2017 Kenyan Premier League (known as the SportPesa Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the 14th season of the Kenyan Premier League since it began in 2003, and the 54th season of top-division football in Kenya since 1963. It began on 11 March and is scheduled to end on 18 November. Tusker were the defending champions, going into the season on the back of their 11th league title.
The Kenyan Premier League was expanded to 18 teams, of which 14 returned from the 2016 season. Kariobangi Sharks, Nakumatt, Nzoia Sugar (formerly Nzoia United) and Zoo Kericho were promoted from the second-tier National Super League.
On 21 October 2017, Gor Mahia secured their record 16th league title with four games to spare after beating Ulinzi Stars 3–1 at the Kericho Green Stadium.

## Changes from last season
### Relegated from Premier League

* Nairobi City Stars
* Ushuru

### Promoted from National Super League

* Kariobangi Sharks
* Nakumatt
* Nzoia Sugar (formerly Nzoia United)
* Zoo Kericho

## Teams

Seven of the participating teams are based in the capital, Nairobi, while Bandari is the only team based at the Coast.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| A.F.C. Leopards | Nairobi | Nyayo National Stadium | 30,000 |
| Bandari | Mombasa | Mombasa Municipal Stadium | 10,000 |
| Chemelil Sugar | Chemelil | Chemelil Sports Complex | 5,000 |
| Gor Mahia | Nairobi | Nairobi City Stadium | 15,000 |
| Kakamega Homeboyz | Kakamega | Bukhungu Stadium | 10,000 |
| Kariobangi Sharks | Nairobi | Nairobi City Stadium | 15,000 |
| Mathare United | Nairobi | Kasarani Stadium | 60,000 |
| Muhoroni Youth | Muhoroni | Muhoroni Stadium | 5,000 |
| Nakumatt | Nairobi | Nyayo National Stadium | 30,000 |
| Nzoia Sugar | Mumias | Mumias Sports Complex | 10,000 |
| Posta Rangers | Eldoret | Kipchoge Keino Stadium | 10,000 |
| Sofapaka | Nairobi | Nyayo National Stadium | 30,000 |
| Sony Sugar | Awendo | Awendo Green Stadium | 5,000 |
| Thika United | Thika | Thika Municipal Stadium | 5,000 |
| Tusker | Nairobi | Kasarani Stadium | 60,000 |
| Ulinzi Stars | Nakuru | Afraha Stadium | 8,200 |
| Western Stima | Kakamega | Bukhungu Stadium | 5,000 |
| Zoo Kericho | Kericho | Kericho Green Stadium | 5,000 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Gor Mahia (C, Q) | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 53 | 22 | +31 | 74 | Qualification for 2018 CAF Champions League |
| 2 | Sofapaka | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 48 | 31 | +17 | 55 | |
| 3 | Kariobangi Sharks | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 42 | 26 | +16 | 52 | |
| 4 | Posta Rangers | 34 | 11 | 18 | 5 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 51 | |
| 5 | Kakamega Homeboyz | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 30 | 23 | +7 | 50 | |
| 6 | Tusker | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 50 | |
| 7 | Ulinzi Stars | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 37 | 29 | +8 | 48 | |
| 8 | A.F.C. Leopards (Q) | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 26 | 28 | −2 | 45 | Qualification for 2018 CAF Confederation Cup |
| 9 | Nzoia Sugar | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 44 | |
| 10 | Bandari | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 43 | |
| 11 | SoNy Sugar | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 31 | 30 | +1 | 43 | |
| 12 | Zoo Kericho | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 39 | 49 | −10 | 40 | |
| 13 | Mathare United | 34 | 8 | 15 | 11 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 39 | |
| 14 | Chemelil Sugar | 34 | 8 | 15 | 11 | 28 | 34 | −6 | 39 | |
| 15 | Nakumatt | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 33 | 41 | −8 | 39 | Relegation to National Super League |
| 16 | Thika United | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 27 | 36 | −9 | 38 | Relegation to National Super League |
| 17 | Western Stima | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 38 | Relegation to National Super League |
| 18 | Muhoroni Youth | 34 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 65 | −38 | 25 | Relegation to National Super League |
* ↑ A.F.C. Leopards qualified for the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup as winners of the 2017 FKF President's Cup.

### Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.
| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Posta Rangers | 5 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Gor Mahia | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sofapaka | 7 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| A.F.C. Leopards | 7 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Chemelil Sugar | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Ulinzi Stars | 7 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Nzoia Sugar | 1 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Tusker | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Bandari | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Kakamega Homeboyz | 7 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 |
| Kariobangi Sharks | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 11 |
| Mathare United | 4 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| Nakumatt | 14 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 13 |
| Muhoroni Youth | 7 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| SoNy Sugar | 17 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 15 |
| Thika United | 13 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Western Stima | 7 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Zoo Kericho | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
* Leader
* Relegation to the 2018 Kenyan National Super League

## Results

| Home \ Away | AFC | BND | CHM | GOR | KHB | KBS | MAU | MHY | NKM | NZS | PRN | SOF | SNY | THU | TUS | ULS | WST | ZOO |
| A.F.C. Leopards | | 0–1 | | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Bandari | 0–1 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Chemelil Sugar | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 0–0 | | 2–1 | | 1–1 |
| Gor Mahia | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 1–0 |
| Kakamega Homeboyz | 1–0 | 1–0 | | | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| Kariobangi Sharks | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | | 3–0 | | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Mathare United | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | | | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 |
| Muhoroni Youth | | | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Nakumatt | 0–3 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 2–1 | 3–4 | | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | |
| Nzoia Sugar | | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Posta Rangers | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | |
| Sofapaka | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | | |
| SoNy Sugar | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | | 2–2 | 0–1 | | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Thika United | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | | | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Tusker | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–5 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| Ulinzi Stars | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 5–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | | | 1–2 |
| Western Stima | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | | 0–2 |
| Zoo Kericho | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | | 0–2 | 0–0 | 4–2 | |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Masoud Juma | Kariobangi Sharks | 15 |
| 2 | Meddie Kagere | Gor Mahia | 13 |
| 3 | Jacques Tuyisenge | Gor Mahia | 12 |
| 4 | Kepha Aswani | Mount Kenya Utd | 11 |
| 4 | Stephen Waruru | Ulinzi Stars | 11 |
| 6 | Chrispin Oduor | Mathare United | 10 |
| 7 | Lawrence Juma | Nzola Sugar | 8 |
| 8 | Umaru Kasumba | Sofapaka | 7 |
| 8 | Humphrey Mieno | Tusker | 7 |
| 8 | Dennis Mukaisi | Posta Rangers | 7 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Score | Date |
| Benard Odhiambo | Bandari | Zoo | 3-2 | 20 May 2017 |
| Keiphas Mutuu | Kakamega | Zoo | 3-3 | 18 June 2017 |
| Jacques Tuyisenge | Gor Mahia | Kariobangi Sharks | 3-1 | 17 October 2017 |
| Masoud Juma$^4$ | Kariobangi Sharks | Muhoroni | 7-0 | 14 November 2017 |