Sports

The betting giant has teamed up with three ambitious clubs that share its vision of progress, supporting their activities in the 2025/2026 campaign as they chase promotion to the top flight of Kenyan football.

Among the beneficiaries of this groundbreaking partnership are 3K FC from Embu, Migori Youth from the Kenya-Tanzania border, and Kisumu All Stars from the lakeside city of Kisumu.

Under the deal, Mozzart will sponsor each club to the tune of Ksh5 million, while also committing an additional Ksh1 million for club merchandise over the next year.

The clubs will don Mozzart-branded jerseys, while the company’s marketing material will be visible across match venues.

FKF President Hussein Mohamed, who was the chief guest at the event, credited the formidable partnership between the federation and Mozzart.

“We are happy that we have a solid partner in Mozzart that is walking with us on this grassroots journey. We have the Mozzart Bet Cup every year, and I’m really looking forward to a new partnership as we look at making that tournament even better.

To the clubs, this is a massive challenge. With this, we must have discipline within your clubs, and I want to give some assurance, it is only the beginning, we are going to do more.”

On his part, Mozzart country manager Sasa Krneta explained the gaming firm’s decision to sponsor the three teams, with the betting company looking to invest heavily in grassroots football.

“The total amount that we will be pumping into the NSL through the three teams is Ksh18 million, a figure rarely witnessed in the Kenyan second-tier.

We believe that grassroots football is the engine room of our country’s success in the beautiful game, like the great Brazilian legend Pele called it,” said Sasa.

This partnership comes as a lifeline for the NSL, which has struggled to attract meaningful sponsorship since the exit of Bamba Sport in 2019.

By the time Mozzart made its entry, only five clubs in the league had a stable income source, with the rest relying on fans and well-wishers just to honour fixtures.

The lack of financial stability has long cast doubts on the professionalism of the league over the years. But now with Mozzart’s arrival, the number of financially stable clubs will skyrocket to nine.

For 3K FC, the sponsorship is historic, since their inception, the Embu-based side has never had a sponsor to its name.

The club, which plays their home games at Moi Stadium, Embu, are starting their second NSL season after earning promotion as champions of the FKF Division One in 2023/2024.

The club, known for attracting large crowds, averages more than 3,000 fans per match.

Assistant coach Moses Munene, who has been with the club since its inception as a player before transitioning to the technical bench, described the partnership as transformational.

“This is a massive boost for the team and the players. For the very first time, our players will be on a payroll.

The community will rally behind us in every match, which spells good times for the club and Mozzart. Our ultimate goal is promotion,” Munene said.

Kisumu All Stars, popularly known as Otenga, have perhaps borne the most brunt of a sponsor pulling out of a team.

Based at Moi Stadium, Kisumu, the Eagles saw two promising seasons collapse after the County Government of Kisumu pulled out its support.

The club, once on the verge of promotion in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, was forced to dish out walkovers that derailed their campaign.

Team Manager Rashid Ochieng believes Mozzart’s backing is the missing piece in their pursuit of a serious title challenge.

Migori Youth, one of the NSL’s longest-serving sides, have also benefited from the partnership.

The club is regarded as the custodian of the second tier, having spent over eight seasons each without making the leap to the Premier League.

Migori Youth, who will shift from Migori Stadium to Awendo Green Stadium this season, are set to embark on their tenth NSL campaign.

For them, Mozzart’s sponsorship is a first too.

Like Kisumu, their promotion bids have been repeatedly hampered by financial shortfalls that made it difficult to even pay players.

The Mozzart sponsorship promises to breathe new life into the NSL, enhancing competition, improving professionalism, and fostering talent development.

More importantly, it raises hopes that other sponsors may finally be encouraged to invest in a league that has long been starved of financial support.

One of Kenya’s leading betting firms, Mozzart, has breathed a new lease of life into the National Super League (NSL), injecting more than Ksh18 million into the country’s second tier of football.

The betting giant has teamed up with three ambitious clubs that share its vision of progress, supporting their activities in the 2025/2026 campaign as they chase promotion to the top flight of Kenyan football.

Among the beneficiaries of this groundbreaking partnership are 3K FC from Embu, Migori Youth from the Kenya-Tanzania border, and Kisumu All Stars from the lakeside city of Kisumu.

Under the deal, Mozzart will sponsor each club to the tune of Ksh5 million, while also committing an additional Ksh1 million for club merchandise over the next year.

The clubs will don Mozzart-branded jerseys, while the company’s marketing material will be visible across match venues.

FKF President Hussein Mohamed, who was the chief guest at the event, credited the formidable partnership between the federation and Mozzart.

“We are happy that we have a solid partner in Mozzart that is walking with us on this grassroots journey. We have the Mozzart Bet Cup every year, and I’m really looking forward to a new partnership as we look at making that tournament even better.

To the clubs, this is a massive challenge. With this, we must have discipline within your clubs, and I want to give some assurance, it is only the beginning, we are going to do more.”

On his part, Mozzart country manager Sasa Krneta explained the gaming firm’s decision to sponsor the three teams, with the betting company looking to invest heavily in grassroots football.

“The total amount that we will be pumping into the NSL through the three teams is Ksh18 million, a figure rarely witnessed in the Kenyan second-tier.

We believe that grassroots football is the engine room of our country’s success in the beautiful game, like the great Brazilian legend Pele called it,” said Sasa.

This partnership comes as a lifeline for the NSL, which has struggled to attract meaningful sponsorship since the exit of Bamba Sport in 2019.

By the time Mozzart made its entry, only five clubs in the league had a stable income source, with the rest relying on fans and well-wishers just to honour fixtures.

The lack of financial stability has long cast doubts on the professionalism of the league over the years. But now with Mozzart’s arrival, the number of financially stable clubs will skyrocket to nine.

For 3K FC, the sponsorship is historic, since their inception, the Embu-based side has never had a sponsor to its name.

The club, which plays their home games at Moi Stadium, Embu, are starting their second NSL season after earning promotion as champions of the FKF Division One in 2023/2024.

The club, known for attracting large crowds, averages more than 3,000 fans per match.

Assistant coach Moses Munene, who has been with the club since its inception as a player before transitioning to the technical bench, described the partnership as transformational.

“This is a massive boost for the team and the players. For the very first time, our players will be on a payroll.

The community will rally behind us in every match, which spells good times for the club and Mozzart. Our ultimate goal is promotion,” Munene said.

Kisumu All Stars, popularly known as Otenga, have perhaps borne the most brunt of a sponsor pulling out of a team.

Based at Moi Stadium, Kisumu, the Eagles saw two promising seasons collapse after the County Government of Kisumu pulled out its support.

The club, once on the verge of promotion in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, was forced to dish out walkovers that derailed their campaign.

Team Manager Rashid Ochieng believes Mozzart’s backing is the missing piece in their pursuit of a serious title challenge.

Migori Youth, one of the NSL’s longest-serving sides, have also benefited from the partnership.

The club is regarded as the custodian of the second tier, having spent over eight seasons each without making the leap to the Premier League.

Migori Youth, who will shift from Migori Stadium to Awendo Green Stadium this season, are set to embark on their tenth NSL campaign.

For them, Mozzart’s sponsorship is a first too.

Like Kisumu, their promotion bids have been repeatedly hampered by financial shortfalls that made it difficult to even pay players.

The Mozzart sponsorship promises to breathe new life into the NSL, enhancing competition, improving professionalism, and fostering talent development.

More importantly, it raises hopes that other sponsors may finally be encouraged to invest in a league that has long been starved of financial support.