The much anticipated Mashemeji Derby pitting arch-rivals AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia has been postponed.

In different statements, both teams confirmed the postponement of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League tie, which was scheduled for Sunday, March 2, 2025.

It was, however, called off after the AFC Leopards, the home team, failed to secure a venue for the derby. Both teams informed their fans that a new date would be communicated.

“Due to the unavailability of the match venue, we hereby postpone our match to a later date. We shall communicate the rescheduled date in due course,” AFC Leopards stated and the same message was published by Gor Mahia FC.

The clash was initially scheduled to be played in November of 2024 before it was called off.

In the second attempt to host one of the most watched league games in the country, the AFC Leopards had written to Sports Kenya requesting permission to use Nyayo Stadium.

The stadium had been closed for rehabilitation ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) as well as Kasarani.

Nyayo and Kasarani have traditionally hosted the derby in the past due to their facilities and security. However, the recent announcement dealt a blow to the two teams, which are struggling to get a venue for their highly anticipated clash.

Gor and Leopards are currently separated by only two points, sitting at third and fourth positions respectively on the pile. The closeness in points was expected to add fresh spice to the encounter.

Rushing to meet deadlines

At the moment, the country is rushing against time to ensure Nyayo and Kasarani are ready to host the continental showpiece scheduled for August 2025.

The unavailability of stadiums compelled Harambee Stars to host their matches in other countries, including Uganda.

Recently, CAF’s top brass, led by Director of Competitions Samson Adamu, gave a thumbs-up to the revamped Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums.

“Infrastructure was always the key concern, but we’re now at 90 per cent completion. The focus now shifts to the real action—planning, marketing, ticketing, and accreditation,” Adamu stated.

Their sentiments raised hope for Kenya to host its first competitive home match in four years in a high-stakes 2026 World Cup qualifier against Gabon on March 24, 2025.

Kenya currently sits fourth in Group F of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers—trailing Ivory Coast (10 points), Gabon (9 points), and Burundi (7 points).

With the latest setback to Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards fans, various stakeholders would be keen to see if Harambee Stars will host Gabon in the country.