Low wages for Kenyan footballers contrast with basketball growth
Kenyan football faces a financial paradox as players struggle with low monthly earnings despite the sport's massive popularity and new funding deals.
Football remains the most popular sport in Kenya, yet professional players face significant financial instability. While the sport dominates local conversations and television screens, the earnings for those playing in the Kenyan Premier League do not reflect this widespread popularity.
Typical monthly salaries for many footballers in the top flight are estimated at approximately $600. This figure varies widely between different clubs and individual players. Former AFC Leopards striker Raymond Omondi has noted that some players have received as little as KSh10,000 per month.
In contrast, the basketball sector has shown a different professional model. Nairobi City Thunder has established a highly ambitious structure, with reports in 2024 suggesting a collective maximum monthly wage of around KSh4.5 million for its players. The club has achieved significant success, winning consecutive KBF Premier League titles in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons without a loss and qualifying for the Basketball Africa League in both 2024 and 2025.
Financial investment in basketball is also visible through corporate support. In June 2026, I&M Bank provided KSh10 million to Nairobi City Thunder to assist with player welfare, training, travel, and operations. This highlights a trend where investors back professionally managed organizations with continental ambitions.
Football is seeing increased funding on paper, but the distribution to players remains a concern. For the 2025/26 season, the Football Kenya Federation and SportPesa announced a KSh20 million prize pool, with KSh15 million designated for the champions. Furthermore, a KSh2 billion funding package was structured to provide KSh1.2 billion to clubs and KSh800 million for league development.
Despite these large sums, the high costs of running football teams complicate the financial picture. Football squads are much larger than basketball rosters, requiring more staff, medical teams, and administrative support. While basketball players often benefit from being part of broader corporate or institutional employment structures, many footballers remain solely dependent on the fluctuating ability of their clubs to pay monthly salaries.
Source: Capital Sports (Capital FM Kenya)
