Nairobi United Seal Historic Promotion to FKF Premier League in Dramatic Fashion

It’s a day to remember for Nairobi United FC and their loyal fans as the club achieved a major milestone — earning their first-ever promotion to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League. The newly crowned giants of the National Super League (NSL) secured this feat after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over 3K FC on Friday afternoon at the Dandora Stadium.

The match, which will go down in the club’s history books, saw Nairobi United come from behind to seal the deal. Ronald Karenwa gave 3K FC an early lead in the 12th minute, silencing the Naibois faithful. But Nairobi’s resilience shone through when Frank Ouya equalized at the stroke of halftime, setting the stage for a tense second half.

With promotion in their sights, Nicholas Muyoti’s side piled on the pressure and were rewarded in the 78th minute when Ouya struck again, completing his brace and cementing his name in Nairobi United folklore.

The win lifted Nairobi United to 66 points at the summit of the NSL table — a full 10 points ahead of APS Bomet, their closest challengers. With only three games remaining and a maximum of six points needed to clinch the league title, Nairobi United have mathematically secured one of the two automatic promotion slots.

It’s a remarkable achievement for a club that began its journey in 2015 as Balaji EPZ Football Club, before rebranding to Nairobi United FC in 2022. The club’s fortunes took a significant turn in September 2023 when Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, through his Sakaja Foundation, acquired the team with a vision to invest in player development, infrastructure, and recruitment.

The promotion is just one part of Nairobi United’s fairytale season. The club has also qualified for the FKF Cup semi-finals after a statement 2-0 win over Kakamega Homeboyz, further proving their rapid ascent in Kenyan football.

Adding an extra touch of sportsmanship, 3K FC were the first to send their congratulations to Nairobi United moments after the final whistle — a classy gesture that perfectly captured the spirit of the game.

As it stands, with APS Bomet still mathematically in the race for the league title, Nairobi United need a maximum of two wins from their final three matches to be officially crowned NSL champions in a season that’s already destined for the history books.

The meteoric rise of Nairobi United is a testament to ambition, investment, and unity — a compelling story that’s far from over.