Kenya Premier League: Facts About AFC Leopards' History

[Image Source: Gusii Digital News]

Writer: Brian Sikulu

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Kenyan football club AFC Leopards was founded in 1964 as Abaluhya United FC and was later renamed to AFC Leopards in 1980. The early years of the club were marked by success in the Kenyan Premier League, winning the title in 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, and 1973. In 1977, the club won the Kenya Football Federation Cup, which was the first major cup in its history.

In 1980, the club changed its name to AFC Leopards and went on to win the Kenyan Premier League title in 1981, 1982, and 1986. In 1987, AFC Leopards won the CECAFA Club Cup, which was the first international trophy in the club's history.

The 1990s were a difficult period for the club, as they struggled with financial problems and poor performances on the field. However, in 1998, AFC Leopards ended its 11-year trophy dry spell after winning the Kenya Football Federation Cup.

In the early 2000s, the club started to regain its dominance in Kenyan football, winning the Kenyan Premier League title in 1999, 2000, and 2001.  AFC Leopards further won the CECAFA Cup for the second time in their history in 2001.

In 2002, the club was relegated to the second tier of Kenyan football due to financial mismanagement. They managed to gain promotion back to the Kenyan Premier League in 2004. It took the club five years after the promotion to win another cup.

In recent years, AFC Leopards has continued to be a dominant force in Kenyan football, finishing as runners-up in the Kenyan Premier League in 2013 and 2017. In 2013, they also won the Kenyan Super Cup. AFC Leopards has a large and passionate fan base, and the club is known for its fierce rivalry with Gor Mahia FC, another prominent Kenyan football club.