1Kenya's Football History/2Building The Game/3Investing In It/4The National Game

Stage two — building the game

The Grassroots Ecosystem

Every facility in the proposed steps, priced twice: the capital cost to build it and the annual cost to run it at Kenyan wage, power and maintenance rates. The step column tells you which proposed step puts it on the ground, so this page and the steps can never disagree with each other. Then the number that matters most to a country exporting talent — what it actually costs to train, educate and produce one professional footballer, county by county, against what an English Category 1 academy spends to do the same job.

Download the prospectus The money Player trading model The proposed steps that build these

Capital cost, everything

$189.69m

$138.59m–$281.68m range

Annual running cost

$15.47m

8.2% of build cost a year

Modelled trading income

$36.05m

233.1% of running costs covered

Ten-year whole-life cost

$344.35m

3,987 permanent jobs

Professional

$174.63m

$127.83m–$259.57m range · 99 units · 6 lines

$13.92m a year to run, $32.46m of trading income (233.2% cost recovery), reaching 62,600 players a year.

Grassroots and recreational

$15.06m

$10.76m–$22.11m range · 194 units · 3 lines

$1.54m a year to run, $3.59m of trading income (232.6% cost recovery), reaching 495,000 players a year.

Facility	Built by	Class	Units	CAPEX	Range	OPEX a year	OPEX %	Trading income	Cost recovery	Life	CAPEX per player
Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courtsProposedChecked against: Modular futsal and 5-a-side court builds in Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, cross-checked against FIFA Quality Programme turf specifications	National game, step 3	Grassroots and recreational	141	$3.35m	$2.47m–$4.79m	$301,388	9%	$2.17m	719.3%	15y	$9.9
Community 11-a-side pitch upgradesProposedChecked against: Levelling, drainage, goals, fencing and floodlighting costs from Kenyan county tenders and FIFA Forward pitch projects	National game, step 3	Grassroots and recreational	47	$4.51m	$3.20m–$6.82m	$451,200	10%	$705,000	156.2%	20y	$53.33
Indoor football arenasProposedChecked against: Covered multi-sport arena builds in East Africa and AFC/FIFA futsal hosting standards	National game, step 3	Grassroots and recreational	6	$7.20m	$5.10m–$10.50m	$792,000	11%	$720,000	90.9%	30y	$100
National training facility (with regional satellites)ProposedChecked against: CAF and FIFA club-licensing training-centre requirements, priced against recent African national training centre builds	Professional game, step 4	Professional	1	$6.40m	$4.80m–$9.20m	$832,000	13%	$1.66m	199.5%	40y	$5333.33
Regional headquarters and league service hubsProposedChecked against: Commercial office fit-out rates in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu	Professional game, step 1	Professional	3	$2.00m	$1.44m–$2.70m	$319,680	16%	$330,000	103.2%	30y	—
County academies and coach educationProposedChecked against: CAF coaching licence delivery costs and Kenyan academy operating budgets	National game, step 7	Professional	47	$2.48m	$1.79m–$3.67m	$545,952	22%	$3.76m	688.7%	20y	$44
Women's and girls' pathway, including the Starlets academyProposedChecked against: Residential academy costs benchmarked on African women's national team programmes	National game, step 6	Professional	1	$950,000	$700,000–$1.40m	$190,000	20%	$690,000	363.2%	30y	$190
Modular professional stadiums (Priority 18)Proposed (feasibility funded first)Checked against: Demountable and modular stadium builds of 10,000–15,000 seats, benchmarked against CBF's registered Brazilian stadium stock and recent African modular projects	Professional game, step 7	Professional	18	$99.00m	$75.60m–$144.00m	$6.93m	7%	$16.74m	241.6%	35y	—
Modular county stadiums (remaining counties)Proposed (feasibility funded first)Checked against: 3,000–5,000 seat modular venues, priced from the same demountable stand and solar specifications at smaller capacity	Professional game, step 7	Professional	29	$63.80m	$43.50m–$98.60m	$5.10m	8%	$9.28m	181.8%	35y	—

OPEX is modelled as an annual percentage of build cost, the convention in sports-facility feasibility work, and cross-checked against the permanent staffing each venue needs at Kenyan wage rates. Revenue is the modelled trading income for the same facility. Everything is an estimate published for challenge. Every line carries a low, central and high estimate and the benchmark it was checked against; the headline figures use the central case.

Benchmarked against Brazil

How much football Kenya is actually short of

Brazil built its technical base on small-sided volume rather than on wealth, which makes it the fair comparison. Its national register lists 789 football stadiums; its municipalities own 41,641 sports installations; commercial data verifies 1,911 futsal court businesses trading today. Set against population, that is the density this programme is measured against — and it is why the plan puts three courts, an upgraded 11-a-side ground, an academy and a stadium in every county rather than concentrating everything in Nairobi.

Small-sided courts per million

2.7

Brazil verifies 9.0 commercial futsal venues per million

Upgraded 11-a-side grounds per million

0.9

One playable, floodlit ground per county

Modular stadiums per million

0.9

Brazil registers 3.7 stadiums per million

Measure	Brazil	Per million	Kenya would need	Kenya today	After this programme	Share of Brazil	Still short
Registered football stadiumsCBF Cadastro Nacional de Estádios de Futebol, via Guia dos Estádios	789	3.7	195	15	47	24.2%	148
Municipal sports installationsIBGE MUNIC survey of Brazilian municipalities	41,641	195.9	10,269	15	235	2.3%	10,034
Verified futsal court businessesPOI Data commercial location register, Brazil	1,911	9	471	0	141	29.9%	330

This programme takes Kenya to 2.7 small-sided courts and 0.9 modular stadiums per million people — one professional team, one stadium and one academy in every county, three courts and an upgraded 11-a-side ground in each. It closes part of the gap to Brazil rather than all of it, and it is deliberately sized to be buildable and maintainable rather than impressive.

Why each one earns its place

Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts

$3.35m build · $301,388 a year

Social: The cheapest way to put organised, safe football within walking distance of a child — including girls' sessions on the same surface at the same hours.
Economic: Hourly hire, school block bookings and county leagues make each court cash-generative within a season; local firms build and maintain them.
Global: Small-sided volume is how Brazil, Spain and Japan built technical players. It is the single highest-leverage export decision Kenya can make.
Running cost covers: Two supervisors and a groundsperson per site, surface repair and resurfacing sinking fund, floodlight power, balls and bibs, community league administration.

Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades

$4.51m build · $451,200 a year

Social: Turns the ground a community already uses into one a league, a school competition and a girls' fixture can actually be played on, after dark included.
Economic: Cheap to build, cheap to run, and immediately hireable — the fastest cost recovery of anything in the programme.
Global: Playable surfaces are the precondition for technical development; no coaching plan survives a rutted pitch.
Running cost covers: Groundsperson and two casuals, drainage and grass care, goal and fence repair, floodlight power, county league administration.

Indoor football arenas

$7.20m build · $792,000 a year

Social: Football through both rainy seasons, plus a covered venue for schools, exams, concerts and county events when football is not on.
Economic: Non-football events carry the fixed costs; futsal and youth tournaments fill the daytime.
Global: Meets AFC/FIFA futsal hosting standards, making Kenya a viable venue for continental indoor competition and broadcast.
Running cost covers: Full-time venue team, security, cleaning, HVAC and lighting power, insurance, pitch and seating maintenance, event marketing.

National training facility (with regional satellites)

$6.40m build · $832,000 a year

Social: A single national standard for coaching, safeguarding and player education instead of 47 different ones.
Economic: Licence income, tournament hosting, camp hire and coach education fees; keeps development spending onshore instead of paying foreign academies.
Global: Club-licensing standard at altitude — a legitimate pre-season and camp destination for European and Gulf clubs, and the base every scouting relationship needs.
Running cost covers: Coaching, sports science, medical and analysis staff, residential catering and utilities, pitch renovation cycles, transport fleet, licensing compliance.

Regional headquarters and league service hubs

$2.00m build · $319,680 a year

Social: Registration, safeguarding and dispute resolution close enough to reach in a day for clubs outside Nairobi.
Economic: Shared back office is far cheaper than 47 clubs each running their own; unlocks sponsorship that requires audited governance.
Global: Club licensing and financial reporting are the entry price for CAF competition and for international transfer income staying in Kenya.
Running cost covers: Registration, safeguarding, finance and competitions staff, connectivity and software, audit and legal, county travel.

County academies and coach education

$2.48m build · $545,952 a year

Social: Schooling tied to football, so no child has to choose between the two — the single biggest protection against wasted talent.
Economic: Produces both players and a qualified coaching workforce that can be exported regionally.
Global: Badged coaches are how a country stops losing 14-year-olds to unlicensed intermediaries.
Running cost covers: Age-group coaches, education and welfare officers, kit, competition entry, transport, insurance, badge course delivery.

Women's and girls' pathway, including the Starlets academy

$950,000 build · $190,000 a year

Social: The fastest route to changed outcomes for girls — school retention, health, and a public reason to be somewhere safe after school.
Economic: The women's game is the fastest-growing commercial property in world football and Kenya has no professional structure competing for it yet.
Global: A credible Starlets pathway makes Kenya a supplier to the NWSL, WSL and European leagues within one cycle.
Running cost covers: Residential academy staffing and catering, medical and menstrual health provision, competition travel, schooling, dedicated facility hours.

Modular professional stadiums (Priority 18)

$99.00m build · $6.93m a year

Social: A proper home ground gives a county an identity, a weekly gathering and a reason for local business to back the club.
Economic: Gate, hospitality, retail, conferencing and non-matchday hire; demountable stands mean capital can be redeployed if a location underperforms.
Global: Licensed venues outside Nairobi are the precondition for hosting CAF fixtures and for broadcast rights worth selling.
Running cost covers: Matchday and permanent staff, security and stewarding, pitch and seating maintenance, solar and grid power, ticketing systems, insurance and rates.

Modular county stadiums (remaining counties)

$63.80m build · $5.10m a year

Social: Every county gets a home ground, so no county is asked to support a professional team it can never watch play at home.
Economic: Sized to break even on county league gate, hire and community use, and expandable in stands rather than in concrete if demand arrives.
Global: Meets the minimum venue criteria for national league licensing, which is what keeps a county club in the professional structure.
Running cost covers: Small permanent team with matchday casuals, stewarding, pitch care, solar power, ticketing and insurance at 3,000–5,000 capacity.

Cost to produce a professional

$121,814 in Kenya against $2.18m in England

Coaching, schooling, food, medical cover, kit and competition, accumulated over the years a player actually spends in an academy, multiplied by the 14 academy players it takes to produce one professional contract. Run the same model on an English Category 1 academy and it returns $2.18m per professional — close to the published spend per academy graduate, which is the sanity check. Kenya produces the same professional for roughly 1/17.9 of that, and in the cheapest counties for a fraction again. The same talent, at a price no European academy system can match.

Average across the counties

$121,814

14 academy players per professional

Cheapest county

$79,626

Tana River

Dearest county

$311,758

Nairobi

England Category 1

$2.18m

17 players per graduate

Annual cost per academy player	Kenya (USD)	Kenya (KES)	England (USD)	England multiple
Coaching and technical staff	$520	KSh 67,340	$11,000	21.2x
Facility use, pitch hire and maintenance	$300	KSh 38,850	$6,200	20.7x
Education and schooling	$480	KSh 62,160	$3,900	8.1x
Nutrition and catering	$420	KSh 54,390	$2,400	5.7x
Medical, physiotherapy and insurance	$190	KSh 24,605	$3,200	16.8x
Kit, boots and equipment	$130	KSh 16,835	$900	6.9x
Travel and competition entry	$210	KSh 27,195	$2,000	9.5x
Scouting, administration and safeguarding	$160	KSh 20,720	$2,400	15x

Compare every county

Each county is priced with its own cost-of-living index, built from its census density and its GDP at purchasing power parity per head — so wages, rent, transport and food are local, not national. Commercial potential is the modelled annual ceiling for gate receipts, sponsorship, appearances and player trading in that county.

Sort by

County	Rent a month	Cost index	Per player a year	Average tenure per player	Per professional (USD)	Per professional (KES)	vs England	Commercial potential	Pros funded by it
Tana River	KSh 6,500	x0.59	$1,422	$5,688	$79,626	KSh 10.3m	27.3x cheaper	$22,770	0.29
West Pokot	KSh 6,500	x0.59	$1,422	$5,688	$79,626	KSh 10.3m	27.3x cheaper	$40,417	0.51
Samburu	KSh 7,000	x0.602	$1,451	$5,803	$81,246	KSh 10.5m	26.8x cheaper	$22,964	0.28
Turkana	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$61,378	0.74
Makueni	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$65,395	0.79
KituiP18	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$75,230	0.91
Wajir	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$51,730	0.62
Mandera	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$57,437	0.69
Marsabit	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$30,444	0.37
Baringo	KSh 7,500	x0.615	$1,482	$5,929	$83,000	KSh 10.7m	26.2x cheaper	$44,148	0.53
Elgeyo Marakwet	KSh 8,000	x0.627	$1,511	$6,044	$84,620	KSh 11.0m	25.7x cheaper	$30,344	0.36
Tharaka Nithi	KSh 8,000	x0.627	$1,511	$6,044	$84,620	KSh 11.0m	25.7x cheaper	$26,251	0.31
Garissa	KSh 8,500	x0.64	$1,542	$6,170	$86,374	KSh 11.2m	25.2x cheaper	$56,680	0.66
Isiolo	KSh 8,500	x0.64	$1,542	$6,170	$86,374	KSh 11.2m	25.2x cheaper	$23,579	0.27
Taita TavetaP18	KSh 9,000	x0.668	$1,610	$6,440	$90,153	KSh 11.7m	24.1x cheaper	$24,032	0.27
Kwale	KSh 10,000	x0.677	$1,632	$6,526	$91,368	KSh 11.8m	23.8x cheaper	$59,878	0.66
NarokP18	KSh 10,000	x0.737	$1,776	$7,105	$99,466	KSh 12.9m	21.9x cheaper	$83,192	0.84
Embu	KSh 10,000	x0.739	$1,781	$7,124	$99,735	KSh 12.9m	21.8x cheaper	$43,784	0.44
Lamu	KSh 9,000	x0.751	$1,810	$7,240	$101,355	KSh 13.1m	21.5x cheaper	$25,374	0.25
Homa Bay	KSh 8,000	x0.773	$1,863	$7,452	$104,324	KSh 13.5m	20.9x cheaper	$83,213	0.8
Nandi	KSh 8,000	x0.775	$1,868	$7,471	$104,594	KSh 13.5m	20.8x cheaper	$65,193	0.62
Laikipia	KSh 11,000	x0.776	$1,870	$7,481	$104,729	KSh 13.6m	20.8x cheaper	$38,193	0.36
KilifiP18	KSh 14,000	x0.777	$1,873	$7,490	$104,864	KSh 13.6m	20.8x cheaper	$107,140	1.02
MeruP18	KSh 11,000	x0.789	$1,901	$7,606	$106,483	KSh 13.8m	20.4x cheaper	$114,772	1.08
Siaya	KSh 7,500	x0.796	$1,918	$7,673	$107,428	KSh 13.9m	20.3x cheaper	$74,067	0.69
Bomet	KSh 8,000	x0.804	$1,938	$7,751	$108,508	KSh 14.1m	20.1x cheaper	$65,628	0.6
MigoriP18	KSh 8,000	x0.845	$2,036	$8,146	$114,041	KSh 14.8m	19.1x cheaper	$85,786	0.75
Trans Nzoia	KSh 8,500	x0.854	$2,058	$8,233	$115,256	KSh 14.9m	18.9x cheaper	$76,509	0.66
Nyandarua	KSh 8,500	x0.876	$2,111	$8,445	$118,225	KSh 15.3m	18.4x cheaper	$49,960	0.42
Nyeri	KSh 12,000	x0.892	$2,150	$8,599	$120,384	KSh 15.6m	18.1x cheaper	$59,982	0.5
KajiadoP18	KSh 17,000	x0.906	$2,183	$8,734	$122,274	KSh 15.8m	17.8x cheaper	$89,044	0.73
Murang'aP18	KSh 9,500	x0.918	$2,212	$8,850	$123,893	KSh 16.0m	17.6x cheaper	$84,755	0.68
Kericho	KSh 11,000	x0.932	$2,246	$8,984	$125,783	KSh 16.3m	17.3x cheaper	$72,916	0.58
BusiaP18	KSh 8,000	x0.948	$2,285	$9,139	$127,942	KSh 16.6m	17x cheaper	$72,922	0.57
Kirinyaga	KSh 9,500	x0.963	$2,321	$9,283	$129,966	KSh 16.8m	16.7x cheaper	$50,231	0.39
BungomaP18	KSh 8,000	x0.976	$2,352	$9,409	$131,721	KSh 17.1m	16.5x cheaper	$138,476	1.05
MachakosP18	KSh 15,000	x0.989	$2,383	$9,534	$133,475	KSh 17.3m	16.3x cheaper	$118,720	0.89
Uasin GishuP18	KSh 14,000	x1.005	$2,422	$9,688	$135,635	KSh 17.6m	16x cheaper	$97,976	0.72
NakuruP18	KSh 16,000	x1.04	$2,506	$10,026	$140,358	KSh 18.2m	15.5x cheaper	$185,621	1.32
KakamegaP18	KSh 9,000	x1.071	$2,581	$10,324	$144,542	KSh 18.7m	15.1x cheaper	$163,003	1.13
Nyamira	KSh 8,500	x1.215	$2,928	$11,713	$163,976	KSh 21.2m	13.3x cheaper	$56,884	0.35
Vihiga	KSh 8,000	x1.355	$3,266	$13,062	$182,871	KSh 23.7m	11.9x cheaper	$59,238	0.32
Kisii	KSh 9,500	x1.387	$3,343	$13,371	$187,190	KSh 24.2m	11.6x cheaper	$129,067	0.69
KisumuP18	KSh 18,000	x1.406	$3,388	$13,554	$189,754	KSh 24.6m	11.5x cheaper	$118,744	0.63
KiambuP18	KSh 24,000	x1.866	$4,497	$17,988	$251,835	KSh 32.6m	8.6x cheaper	$299,821	1.19
MombasaP18	KSh 22,000	x1.985	$4,784	$19,135	$267,896	KSh 34.7m	8.1x cheaper	$156,488	0.58
NairobiP18	KSh 35,000	x2.31	$5,567	$22,268	$311,758	KSh 40.4m	7x cheaper	$462,470	1.48

The Priority 18

Where the people and the money already are

Every county is scored on three things: its 2019 census population, its county GDP and its county GDP at purchasing power parity. Population carries 40% of the score, the two economic measures 30% each — young people first, paying customers second. The eighteen highest scores are where the maps, the facility siting and every financial model on this site are focused. The other twenty-nine counties still host courts, still appear on the map and can still bring a proposal forward.

People in the Priority 18

27,283,013

57.4% of Kenya

Their combined GDP

$88.7bn

$249bn at PPP

Share of national output

71.7%

On Gross County Product shares

Counties with a KPL club

13 of 18

5 league counties outside

#01

Nairobi

4,397,073 people

$34.29bn GDP · $96.3bn PPP

9.24% of people · 27.72% of output

#02

Kiambu

2,417,735 people

$7.37bn GDP · $20.7bn PPP

5.08% of people · 5.96% of output

#03

Nakuru

2,162,202 people

$6.12bn GDP · $17.2bn PPP

4.55% of people · 4.95% of output

#04

Mombasa

1,208,333 people

$6.48bn GDP · $18.2bn PPP

2.54% of people · 5.24% of output

#05

Kakamega

1,867,579 people

$2.99bn GDP · $8.4bn PPP

3.93% of people · 2.42% of output

#06

Machakos

1,421,932 people

$4.38bn GDP · $12.3bn PPP

2.99% of people · 3.54% of output

#07

Meru

1,545,714 people

$3.67bn GDP · $10.3bn PPP

3.25% of people · 2.96% of output

#08

Bungoma

1,670,570 people

$2.67bn GDP · $7.5bn PPP

3.51% of people · 2.16% of output

#09

Kisumu

1,155,574 people

$3.63bn GDP · $10.2bn PPP

2.43% of people · 2.94% of output

#10

Kilifi

1,453,787 people

$1.96bn GDP · $5.5bn PPP

3.06% of people · 1.58% of output

#11

Uasin Gishu

1,163,186 people

$2.88bn GDP · $8.1bn PPP

2.45% of people · 2.33% of output

#12

Narok

1,157,873 people

$2.49bn GDP · $7bn PPP

2.43% of people · 2.01% of output

#13

Kajiado

1,117,840 people

$2.35bn GDP · $6.6bn PPP

2.35% of people · 1.9% of output

#14

Murang'a

1,056,640 people

$2.14bn GDP · $6bn PPP

2.22% of people · 1.73% of output

#15

Kitui

1,136,187 people

$1.67bn GDP · $4.7bn PPP

2.39% of people · 1.35% of output

#16

Migori

1,116,436 people

$1.6bn GDP · $4.5bn PPP

2.35% of people · 1.3% of output

#17

Busia

893,681 people

$1.37bn GDP · $3.85bn PPP

1.88% of people · 1.11% of output

#18

Taita Taveta

340,671 people

$0.61bn GDP · $1.7bn PPP

0.72% of people · 0.49% of output

Rank	County	Population	GDP	GDP PPP	Population index	GDP index	PPP index	Score	In the 18
1	Nairobi	4,397,073	$34.29bn	$96.3bn	1	1	1	1	Priority 18
2	Kiambu	2,417,735	$7.37bn	$20.7bn	0.54985	0.21493	0.21495	0.348904	Priority 18
3	Nakuru	2,162,202	$6.12bn	$17.2bn	0.49174	0.17848	0.17861	0.303823	Priority 18
4	Mombasa	1,208,333	$6.48bn	$18.2bn	0.2748	0.18898	0.18899	0.223311	Priority 18
5	Kakamega	1,867,579	$2.99bn	$8.4bn	0.42473	0.0872	0.08723	0.222221	Priority 18
6	Machakos	1,421,932	$4.38bn	$12.3bn	0.32338	0.12773	0.12773	0.20599	Priority 18
7	Meru	1,545,714	$3.67bn	$10.3bn	0.35153	0.10703	0.10696	0.204809	Priority 18
8	Bungoma	1,670,570	$2.67bn	$7.5bn	0.37993	0.07787	0.07788	0.198697	Priority 18
9	Kisumu	1,155,574	$3.63bn	$10.2bn	0.26281	0.10586	0.10592	0.168658	Priority 18
10	Kilifi	1,453,787	$1.96bn	$5.5bn	0.33063	0.05716	0.05711	0.166533	Priority 18
11	Uasin Gishu	1,163,186	$2.88bn	$8.1bn	0.26454	0.08399	0.08411	0.156246	Priority 18
12	Narok	1,157,873	$2.49bn	$7bn	0.26333	0.07262	0.07269	0.148925	Priority 18
13	Kajiado	1,117,840	$2.35bn	$6.6bn	0.25422	0.06853	0.06854	0.142809	Priority 18
14	Murang'a	1,056,640	$2.14bn	$6bn	0.24031	0.06241	0.06231	0.13354	Priority 18
15	Kitui	1,136,187	$1.67bn	$4.7bn	0.2584	0.0487	0.04881	0.132613	Priority 18
16	Migori	1,116,436	$1.6bn	$4.5bn	0.2539	0.04666	0.04673	0.129577	Priority 18
17	Busia	893,681	$1.37bn	$3.85bn	0.20324	0.03995	0.03998	0.105275	Priority 18
18	Taita Taveta	340,671	$0.61bn	$1.7bn	0.07748	0.01779	0.01765	0.041624	Priority 18
19	Kisii	1,266,860	$2.62bn	$7.35bn	0.28811	0.07641	0.07632	0.161063	Courts only
20	Homa Bay	1,131,950	$1.42bn	$4bn	0.25743	0.04141	0.04154	0.127857	Courts only
21	Trans Nzoia	990,341	$1.87bn	$5.25bn	0.22523	0.05453	0.05452	0.122807	Courts only
22	Kericho	901,777	$2.03bn	$5.7bn	0.20509	0.0592	0.05919	0.117553	Courts only
23	Makueni	987,653	$1.57bn	$4.4bn	0.22462	0.04579	0.04569	0.117292	Courts only
24	Siaya	993,183	$1.32bn	$3.7bn	0.22587	0.0385	0.03842	0.113424	Courts only
25	Nandi	885,711	$1.85bn	$5.2bn	0.20143	0.05395	0.054	0.112957	Courts only
26	Bomet	875,689	$1.74bn	$4.9bn	0.19915	0.05074	0.05088	0.110146	Courts only
27	Turkana	926,976	$1.37bn	$3.85bn	0.21082	0.03995	0.03998	0.108307	Courts only
28	Nyeri	759,164	$2.24bn	$6.3bn	0.17265	0.06533	0.06542	0.108285	Courts only
29	Kwale	866,820	$1.42bn	$4bn	0.19714	0.04141	0.04154	0.103741	Courts only
30	Nyandarua	638,289	$2.31bn	$6.5bn	0.14516	0.06737	0.0675	0.098525	Courts only
31	Garissa	841,353	$1.12bn	$3.15bn	0.19134	0.03266	0.03271	0.096147	Courts only
32	Mandera	867,457	$0.61bn	$1.7bn	0.19728	0.01779	0.01765	0.089544	Courts only
33	Kirinyaga	610,411	$1.5bn	$4.2bn	0.13882	0.04374	0.04361	0.081733	Courts only
34	Wajir	781,263	$0.61bn	$1.7bn	0.17768	0.01779	0.01765	0.081704	Courts only
35	Nyamira	605,576	$1.5bn	$4.2bn	0.13772	0.04374	0.04361	0.081293	Courts only
36	Embu	608,599	$1.32bn	$3.7bn	0.13841	0.0385	0.03842	0.07844	Courts only
37	Baringo	666,763	$0.86bn	$2.41bn	0.15164	0.02508	0.02503	0.075689	Courts only
38	Vihiga	590,013	$1.25bn	$3.5bn	0.13418	0.03645	0.03634	0.075509	Courts only
39	Laikipia	518,560	$1.18bn	$3.3bn	0.11793	0.03441	0.03427	0.067776	Courts only
40	West Pokot	621,241	$0.56bn	$1.57bn	0.14129	0.01633	0.0163	0.066305	Courts only
41	Elgeyo Marakwet	454,480	$0.64bn	$1.81bn	0.10336	0.01866	0.0188	0.052582	Courts only
42	Marsabit	459,785	$0.33bn	$0.93bn	0.10457	0.00962	0.00966	0.047612	Courts only
43	Tharaka Nithi	393,177	$0.56bn	$1.56bn	0.08942	0.01633	0.0162	0.045527	Courts only
44	Tana River	315,943	$0.36bn	$1bn	0.07185	0.0105	0.01038	0.035004	Courts only
45	Samburu	310,327	$0.28bn	$0.8bn	0.07058	0.00817	0.00831	0.033176	Courts only
46	Isiolo	268,002	$0.25bn	$0.7bn	0.06095	0.00729	0.00727	0.028748	Courts only
47	Lamu	143,920	$0.36bn	$1bn	0.03273	0.0105	0.01038	0.019356	Courts only

The method

Method ------ The eighteen are a named list, not a formula. They are the counties that already host Kenya Premier League and National Super League football, or that sit on the central corridor of road, rail, power and stadium infrastructure running from Kisumu and Kakamega in the west, through Nakuru, Nairobi and Kiambu, down to Mombasa and Kilifi on the coast. That corridor is where the professional game is played today and where a modular stadium, an academy and a professional club can be built, supplied and filled. Every county is still scored on three published measures, each normalised against the strongest county, so the list can be argued with rather than taken on trust: 1. Population, from the 2019 KNBS census. 2. County GDP, derived from the county's share of Gross County Product applied to national GDP. 3. County GDP at purchasing power parity, on the same share basis. Population carries 40% of the score and the two economic measures 30% each, because a football programme needs young people first and paying customers second. Scores set the order inside the eighteen and rank every county outside it. The remaining twenty-nine counties still host courts, still appear on the map and can still bring forward a proposal, but they are not where a stadium or an academy is proposed first. Eighteen is not an arbitrary number. It is the size of a national top division, the number of county academies proposed, and the number of modular stadiums in the plan.

Sources

County populations and households — KNBS 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census County populations, independent mirror — UN OCHA HDX, Kenya subnational population statistics County shares of national output — KNBS Gross County Product Counties currently hosting league football — Football Kenya Federation

County GDP and GDP PPP are our estimates, built from each county's Gross County Product share applied to the national figures, and published so they can be challenged. The eighteen are chosen for league football and infrastructure; the scores order them. Ranking decides where the programme starts, not who is allowed to play.

Sited county by county

Every project has an address

Nothing in this programme is a national abstraction any more. Each proposed line — courts, pitch upgrades, arenas, the training base, service hubs, county academies, the women’s pathway and the modular stadiums — is allocated to named counties: every eligible county gets an equal floor first, then the remainder is shared in proportion to census population, with whole units only. That is why all 47 counties carry three courts, an upgraded 11-a-side ground, an academy and a professional stadium, while the Priority 18 carry the larger venues. Every shilling of build cost, running cost, job, team and pound of social value below is generated from the units sited in that county. Then choose how much of the programme actually gets completed.

Programme completed

Counties funded

100% of the full build cost

Build cost

$189.69m

$15.47m a year to run

Kenya-wide grassroots value

$455.98m

$2.404 per dollar built

Players reached a year

557,600

3,987 permanent jobs

Teams and matches

6,590

171,340 matches a year

Coaching and referee places

6,169

7,371 volunteers

Tax back to the Exchequer

$21.13m

VAT and PAYE, each year

Capital paid back in value

0.42 years

17,796 build person-years

100% completion: the 47 counties that return the most value per dollar, reaching 557,600 players and 3,987 permanent jobs for $189.7m.

The cost curve

The sweet spot is a county below the median cost per professional and in the top 40% by population: enough young people to fill an academy pathway, at a cost per graduate no European system can match. Bubble size is the number of players the sited projects reach.

Sweet spot Projects sited here No units yetHoma Bay · Kilifi · Kitui · Meru · Narok

County	Units sited	Build cost	Running cost	Trading income	Jobs	Players	Teams	Annual value	Value per $1	Business case
Kwale3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Tana River3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Lamu3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Garissa3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Wajir3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Mandera3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Marsabit3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Isiolo3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Tharaka Nithi3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Embu3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Makueni3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Nyandarua3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Nyeri3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Kirinyaga3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Turkana3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
West Pokot3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Samburu3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Trans Nzoia3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Elgeyo Marakwet3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Nandi3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Baringo3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Laikipia3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Kericho3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Bomet3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Vihiga3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Siaya3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Homa Bay3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Kisii3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
Nyamira3 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular county stadiums	6	$2.42m	$203,628	$461,128	60	10,200	122	$8.34m	$3.444	PDF
MeruP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	7	$6.92m	$544,628	$1.19m	129	22,200	204	$18.12m	$2.618	PDF
KakamegaP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	7	$6.92m	$544,628	$1.19m	129	22,200	204	$18.12m	$2.618	PDF
BungomaP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	7	$6.92m	$544,628	$1.19m	129	22,200	204	$18.12m	$2.618	PDF
KiambuP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x Regional headquarters and league service hubs · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	8	$7.59m	$651,188	$1.30m	147	22,200	264	$18.14m	$2.391	PDF
NakuruP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x Regional headquarters and league service hubs · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	8	$7.59m	$651,188	$1.30m	147	22,200	264	$18.14m	$2.391	PDF
NairobiP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x Indoor football arenas · 1 x National training facility · 1 x Regional headquarters and league service hubs · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Women's and girls' pathway · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	10	$14.94m	$1.67m	$3.65m	282	28,400	424	$23.26m	$1.558	PDF
MombasaP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
KilifiP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
Taita TavetaP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
KituiP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
MachakosP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
Murang'aP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
Uasin GishuP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
NarokP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
KajiadoP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
BusiaP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
KisumuP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF
MigoriP183 x Stackable 5-a-side and futsal courts · 1 x Community 11-a-side pitch upgrades · 1 x County academies and coach education · 1 x Modular professional stadiums	6	$5.72m	$412,628	$1.07m	107	10,200	124	$8.36m	$1.462	PDF

Every county figure is generated from the units sited in that county, not from a national average sliced by population. Allocation is an evidence-led proposal published for challenge; no site has been surveyed, agreed or contracted.

The formula

Cost per professional = annual cost per academy player x county cost-of-living index x 4 years, the average time a player spends inside the academy, x 14 academy players per professional contract. A pathway runs from age 8 to 18, but no player is funded for all ten years, so cost accumulates over average tenure rather than the full span. The county index is built from that county's own census density, its GDP at purchasing power parity per head, and its own rent, so wages, rent, transport and food are priced locally rather than nationally. The same model applied to an England Category 1 academy returns $2.18m per professional, which reconciles with the published spend per academy graduate — the sanity check on the Kenyan figures.

Sources

Sources and Method — every number, and when it was last read

KNBS 2019 Kenya Population and Housing CensusOfficial StatisticKNBS 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census published 4 Nov 2019reviewed 20 Aug 2026

Premier League Elite Player Performance Plan reporting and published club academy accountsPublished BenchmarkPremier League Elite Player Performance Plan reporting and published club academy accounts published 1 May 2012reviewed 20 Aug 2026

KNBS Economic Survey and county statistical abstractsOfficial StatisticKNBS Economic Survey and county statistical abstracts published 1 May 2026reviewed 20 Aug 2026

Every cost, index and commercial figure on this page is our own estimate, published so it can be argued with. Nothing is a quotation, a budget or an awarded contract.

The flagship build

Kenya's First Futsal Court

One court, in the densest young population in the country, at the price of a saloon car. It is the smallest complete unit of this programme and the first thing a funder can own outright.

Kibera, Nairobi

The densest young population in Kenya, an existing informal football culture on ground that floods every rainy season, and a county association already running weekend leagues with nowhere reliable to play.

Build cost

$23,750

$17,500–$34,000 range

Annual income

$15,376

539.5% of running cost

Players a year

2,400

24 teams

Jobs and places

3 + 7

Permanent jobs, coaching and refereeing

Why a court first. It is the smallest complete unit of this programme: one surface, one league, one maintenance team, and a price a single funder can carry outright.

Costs are our own estimates at survey stage, in a published range rather than a single number. No land is contracted and no build has started.

Read the site survey Fund this court

Specification

Playing surface: 38m x 20m stackable modular deck; FIFA Quality Programme football turf over a drained modular base, playable within hours of rain.
Format: 5-a-side and futsal; One full court, or two cross-pitch training grids for coach education and school sessions.
Lighting: LED floodlights, 200 lux; Solar-assisted, so the court trades from 6am to 10pm and pays for its own evening hours.
Enclosure: 4m rebound fencing, two gates; Ball retention, crowd separation and a lockable perimeter for overnight security.
Buildings: Store, office, two changing units, toilets; Shipping-container conversions, so the whole site can be lifted and re-sited.
Assembly: 6 to 9 weeks on a prepared site; Local labour, with a county maintenance team trained during the build.

Where it has got to

Site surveyComplete
Ground conditions, drainage and access surveyed with the county association.
Land agreementIn progress
Use agreement being drafted with Nairobi City County and the community land committee.
FundingOpen
The full court is the smallest single unit a funder can back outright.
BuildNot started
Assembly begins once the use agreement and funding are both signed.
Handover and leagueNot started
Court handed to the county association with a first-season league calendar in place.

SourcesFIFA Nairobi City County KNBS

Stage 2 of 4 — Building The Game

So what follows

Courts, leagues, coaches, academies and licensed clubs are the machine. On their own they are a shopping list. What turns them into a case is what they cost, what they return and who pays for them.

Stage three: investing in it