AFC Leopards mark 62nd anniversary amid renewed FKF Premier title charge
By Joel Masibo, March 12, 2026Football Kenya Federation Premier League giants, AFC Leopards, are marking the club’s 62nd anniversary since its formation in 1964 amid the renewed energy to challenge for the 2025/26 title.
Formation
Founded in 1964 by football lovers from the Luhya community, Ingwe is among the top three most successful football clubs in Kenya, with 12 top-flight league titles to its name. AFC Leopards is the country’s third most successful team behind Tusker FC (13 titles) and Gor Mahia (21 titles).
AFC Leopards regularly face off against Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji Derby, with the team currently playing most of its home games at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Aside from league glory, Ingwe stands as one of the most successful clubs in the region, underlined by the fact that it has won the CECAFA Club Championship 5 times. AFC Leopards has also won the Kenya Cup, currently the FKF Cup, 10 times.
Formed in 1964 as Abaluhya United Football Club, the outfit changed its name in 1973 to Abaluhya Football Club when several small clubs amalgamated. In 1980, the club was renamed AFC Leopards, a name it has held until the present day. AFC Leopards last won their league title in 1998, a title that has remained elusive, giving room for their arch rivals, Gor Mahia, to shine alongside Tusker.
Despite the glory, AFC Leopards has also recorded dark days in Kenyan football. In the 2008 season, Ingwe played in the Nationwide League, now the National Super League, and won the title in their zone. They returned to the Kenyan Premier League for the 2009 season, in which they also won the KFF Cup.
The reason AFC Leopards was formed was to provide a platform for Luhya players based in Nairobi and other areas. Today, the team has anchored its roots across Africa.
Title hopes
In the ongoing 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League, AFC Leopards is firmly in the title race. The team is placed second in the league standings with 43 points in 22 outings, just seven points below leaders, Gor Mahia, who have played a match more.
AFC Leopards will next face the 2008 Kenyan Premier League champions, Mathare United, on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Nyayo National Stadium, seeking maximum points to pile pressure on Gor Mahia at the summit of the table. The team is currently led by club legends, Ambani brothers, Boniface Ambani as Chairman and Fred Ambani as the head coach.