AFC Leopards

Before the establishment of A.F.C. Leopards in 1964, football among Luhya communities in Western Kenya and in Nairobi's estates was organised around mission schools, works teams and informal village sides. In Nairobi, teams such as Marama, Samia United and Bunyore represented different Luhya sub-groups in city leagues, invitational tournaments and holiday matches, and often combined to form "Abaluhya" select sides for exhibition games against other communities.

These early teams competed in colonial-era competitions dominated by works clubs such as Kenya Breweries and police or army sides, but they fostered a distinct Abaluhya football identity based on technical play, physical strength and vocal community backing on the terraces.

On 12 March 1964, the East African Standard reported the formation of Abaluhya United Football Club, created through an amalgamation of Nairobi-based clubs Marama, Samia United and Bunyore, all then playing in Division One of the Kenya National Football League. The process also brought in smaller Luhya sides such as Kisa, Tiriki, Bukusu Brotherhood, Busamia, Lurambi, Butsotso, Bushibungo and Eshirotsa, giving the new club a broad grassroots base.

In the newly independent Kenya, Abaluhya United quickly established itself as a leading side. The club reached its first domestic finals and built a spine around players such as Jonathan Niva and Joe Masiga, while matches against Luo- and Kikuyu-dominated clubs crystallised into ethnic and regional rivalries that would later define Kenyan club football.

Key early milestones included:

• 1964 – Formal registration as Abaluhya United FC.
• 1966 – First Kenyan league title.
• 1967 – Back-to-back league championship and first domestic double with a cup win.
• Late 1960s – First appearances in the African Cup of Champions Clubs.

The 1970s are remembered as a decade of consolidation and repeated success. Abaluhya United, renamed Abaluhya Football Club in 1973 after further amalgamations, won league titles in 1970 and 1973 and developed a reputation for fluent attacking football and a hostile home atmosphere for visiting teams.

During this period, the club:

• Went through at least one league campaign unbeaten, becoming one of the first Kenyan clubs to do so.
• Cemented longstanding rivalries with Gor Mahia and other Nairobi clubs.
• Supplied a growing number of players to Harambee Stars for regional tournaments and early African qualifiers.

In 1978, President Daniel arap Moi reaffirmed a policy requiring civic and sporting organisations to remove ethnic identifiers from their names, continuing nation-building policies initiated under President Jomo Kenyatta. Abaluhya Football Club, which retained a strong Luhya association, formally adopted the name A.F.C. Leopards (All Footballers Confederation Leopards Sports Club) in 1980.

The 1980s are widely described as A.F.C. Leopards' golden era, marked by dominance in both domestic and regional competitions. Under coaches such as Robert Kiberu and later Gerry Saurer and Charles Gyamfi, the club became a powerhouse in East and Central Africa.

Notable achievements in the 1980s include:

• Kenyan league titles in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1988.
• Multiple President's Cup victories, reinforcing domestic dominance.
• Five CECAFA Club Cup titles across 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1997, the majority during this era.
• Deep runs in continental competitions, including a semi-final appearance in the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1968 and quarter-final finishes in later years.

This period produced many of the club's canonical figures, including defender and later coach Jonathan Niva, forward Joe Masiga and winger Francis Kadenge, who became household names in Kenyan football.

The 1990s were a period of transition. While A.F.C. Leopards continued to win trophies, the consistency of the 1980s proved difficult to maintain amid growing competition, economic liberalisation in Kenya and changes in club governance.

Key developments included:

• League title wins in 1992 and 1998, the latter remaining the club's most recent national championship as of the mid-2020s.
• Strong runs in the African Cup Winners' Cup and CAF Cup, including quarter-final and semi-final appearances in 1985, 1988, 1994 and 1997.
• Continued success in domestic cup competitions, cementing a reputation for knockout resilience.

The early 2000s are often described as a period of decline for A.F.C. Leopards. The club struggled with financial instability, internal disputes and changes in management, culminating in relegation from the Kenyan Premier League in the mid-2000s. A 2006 editorial in The Standard referred to the club as "once proud Ingwe" while highlighting organisational paralysis and financial crisis.

Important episodes during this decade included:

• Relegation to the second-tier Nationwide League.
• Reorganisation through member mobilisation and fundraising among supporters and political patrons, including the growth of mobile money-based contributions.
• Winning the Nationwide League in 2008 and securing promotion back to the Kenyan Premier League for the 2009 season, followed by a President's Cup (then KFF Cup) triumph in the same year.

The 2010s saw A.F.C. Leopards re-establish itself as a permanent fixture in the Kenyan Premier League, though league campaigns were often overshadowed by boardroom wrangles, frequent coaching changes and financial uncertainty. Coaches such as Jan Koops, Luc Eymael, Stewart Hall and Patrick Aussems passed through the technical bench, reflecting a search for stability and modernisation.

Despite these challenges, the club registered several successes:

• FKF President's Cup (then President's Cup or GOtv Shield) victories in 2013 and 2017.
• Regular top-half league finishes and qualification for continental competitions.
• Short-lived but significant sponsorship arrangements with betting and corporate partners that helped underwrite operations and player salaries.

The decade also saw growth in social media-driven supporter mobilisation, with branches across Kenya and in the diaspora using digital platforms for fundraising, match-day coordination and advocacy on governance issues.

The 2020s have been characterised by efforts to stabilise the club's finances and governance model while keeping pace with the professionalisation of the Kenyan Premier League. A.F.C. Leopards has alternated its home matches between Nyayo National Stadium, Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and, in some cases, community grounds such as Dandora Stadium depending on availability and league regulations.

Political leaders from Western Kenya including Musalia Mudavadi, Alfred Sambu, Cyrus Jirongo, Ken Lusaka and Edwin Sifuna have at various times provided financial support, advocated for improved facilities or backed privatisation proposals that would convert the club from a members' society into a corporatised entity capable of attracting long-term investors.

On the pitch, the club has remained competitive without yet reclaiming the league title, often finishing in the top half of the table and maintaining its status in media coverage as one of the best supported teams in Kenya. In the 2024–25 campaign, A.F.C. Leopards finished sixth in the 18-team league table with 51 points from 34 matches, underlining their status as consistent mid-table contenders in the mid-2020s.

The following list summarises selected key seasons since the club's inception:

• 1966 – First Kenyan league title.
• 1967 – League and cup double.
• 1970 – League champions.
• 1973 – League champions after further club amalgamations.
• 1979 – First CECAFA Club Championship title.
• 1980–1982 – Three consecutive league titles and multiple domestic cups during a dominant spell.
• 1984 – CECAFA Club Championship winners again, consolidating regional dominance.
• 1986, 1988 – Further league titles.
• 1992 – League champions and strong continental presence.
• 1997 – CECAFA Club Championship winners and CAF Cup quarter-finalists.
• 1998 – Most recent Kenyan league title to date.
• 2008 – Nationwide League champions and promotion back to the top flight.
• 2009 – Domestic cup triumph after promotion.
• 2013, 2017 – FKF President's Cup winners.
• 2024–25 – Mid-table finish in the Kenyan Premier League, placing sixth with 51 points.