Kenyan Premier League
 |
|
| Country |
 Kenya
|
|---|---|
| Confederation | CAF |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | National Super League |
| Domestic cup(s) |
President's Cup Super Cup Top 8 Cup |
| International cup(s) |
CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup |
| Current champions |
Tusker (2016) |
| Most championships |
Gor Mahia (15 titles) |
| TV partners | SuperSport |
| Website | www |
 Current season
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The Kenyan Premier League (KPL), also known as the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs in Kenya. Standing at the top of the Kenyan football league system, the league was formed in 1963 under the Kenya Football Federation but is now controlled by the Football Kenya Federation. It is contested by 16 clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation system with the Kenyan National Super League. Gor Mahia are the league's current champions and most successful club, with a record 15 titles to their name.
The league was mostly stable until the late 1990s and since then its performance had been considered below average, with many of the league's clubs having little or no finances to support themselves. However, since SuperSport became an official league partner, the league has taken on a more serious role with teams becoming professional and the majority of the clubs managing to get kit sponsorships. This saw the level of competition improve compared to past periods.
Following constant wrangles between the then football governing administration and the eventual deteriorating of the National Football League, participating clubs opted out and decided to form a company that would see the smooth running of the league in a professional and transparent manner. In 2003, the Kenyan Premier League was created and registered as a limited liability company whose ownership was shared amongst all the sixteen participating clubs and was to be affiliated to the Kenya Football Federation.
The league was known as the Kenya National Football League from its creation in 1963 to 1996, the Kenyan Super League in 1973 and 1997 and, from 1998, the Kenyan Premier League.
The Kenyan Premier League is operated and run as a private limited company incorporated in October 2003 under the Companies Act of Kenya. It is fully owned and managed by the 18 member clubs with each club being a shareholder. It is affiliated to Football Kenya Federation, which is also a shareholder and voting member of the KPL Board of directors. Non-voting members include the Kenya Football Coaches Association and the Kenya Football Referees Association.
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