2023-2024 CAF Champions League

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Gor Mahia will represent Kenya in the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League by virtue of winning the 2022-2023 Kenya Premier League. The first round will be played on August 19 and August 26. The second round will be played on September 15 and September 23. CAF have yet to announce the draw.
Tanzania will be represented by Young Africans and Simba Sports club whereas Uganda will be represented by Vipers.

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From pulse.co.ke

Gor Mahia dealt setback as CAF makes amendments to club competition rules



K'Ogalo will now have to put all their efforts into the more daunting Champions League as there will be no second opportunity at continental football next season

Confederation of African Football (CAF) have made amendments that include cancelling the playoff round of the CAF Confederation Cup from the 2023-24 season which is set to affect a number of teams, including Kenya's Gor Mahia.

This means that teams that are knocked out of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round won't get the chance to participate in the Confederation Cup.
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This will come as a blow to newly-crowned FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia, who used this route to get to the quarter-finals of the Confederation Cup in the 2018-2019 season.

Having won the FKF Premier League title in 2018, they qualified for the 2018/2019 Champions League preliminary rounds, where they beat Malawian outfit Nyasa Big Bullets.

They then faced Nigerian outfit Lobi Stars and drew 3-3 over both legs, but Stars proceed to the second round of the Champions League on away goals rule, which relegated Gor to the Confederations Cup playoff, where they beat Cameroon’s New Star to qualify for the group stages of the second tier African club showpiece for the first time in their history.


With the new amendment, K’Ogalo will have to put all their eggs into the more daunting Champions League and do everything in their powers to reach the group stages.

Kakamega Homeboyz are the other Kenyan representatives at the continental stage having won the Mozzart Bet Cup to qualify for their maiden showpiece and are likely to start at the preliminary round of the Confederation Cup.

Gor have already identified potential signings ahead of next season's CAF Champions League, in which they are hopeful to post good results.

Coach Johnathan McKinstry met some of the new charges he intends to sign for the continental showpiece on Wednesday.

"It's always a difficult decision to do away with some of your good players, but we have planned to bring even best players from across Africa to the team," McKinstry told Pulse Sports.

"I have already negotiated with the incoming players, that's the only way to stay ahead of other teams in the league and to prepare for CAF, it's all about moving forward."

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Gor Mahia will play all their home matches in Tanzania

The two Kenyan clubs are exploring alternative venues following reports that Kasarani Stadium might not be allowed to host their continental fixtures.

Gor Mahia and Kakamega Homeboyz are exploring their options given the lack of clarity on whether they will be able to host their CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup matches in Kenya.

There have been conflicting reports on whether the two teams will play the matches scheduled between August 18 and 27, in the country given Karsarani and Nyayo stadiums are banned by CAF from hosting international matches after failing inspection tests in 2021.
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However, while the two clubs remain confident that they might not have to shift base, they are looking at possible alternatives just in case.

“We have sought clarification from the federation and we are still waiting for a response,” Gor Mahia CEO Raymond Oruo told Pulse Sports on Monday.
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“We are exploring options regarding an alternative venue. We are looking at neighbouring countries and with Uganda also not able to host CAF matches, then Tanzania is the most likely destination.”


“We are preparing everything for the match, we are getting the players’ passports ready for the away match. There has been no communication so far regarding the venue. We have a meeting with the Sports Cabinet Secretary this week and those are the questions we will be asking him,” said Shimanyula.

The Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam is the only venue in the region approved to host CAF matches and played host to Simba and Yanga’s ties last season as the former reached the CAF Champions League quarter-final while the latter made it to the Confederation Cup final.


Both Gor and Homeboyz might, therefore, be forced to play their matches at the venue while the Azam Stadium has also been mooted as a possibility.

However, Oruo still has a feeling that they might not be forced to shift base after all, giving credence to assertions that Kasarani Stadium will be allowed to host preliminary matches as they are in a different category to group stage fixtures and Africa Cup of Nation ties.
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“I have a feeling we may be able to play our preliminary matches at Kasarani Stadium but if we get to the group stages is when we might be forced to look for an alternative venue,” Oruo added.

The Champions League preliminary round matches will take place between August 18 and 20 while the Confederation Cup will be held from August

If they make it to the second preliminary round, the Champions League matches will take place between September 15 and 17 while the Confederation Cup will be held from September 29-October 1. Thereafter, the group stages will be held from November 24-26.


However, unlike before, Gor Mahia will have to up their game this time around since CAF have scrapped the provision that would see teams who are eliminated at the preliminary round drop to the Confederation Cup.

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There are reports that Gor Mahia have been kicked out of the 2023-CAF Champions League.

Here is the report from FKF to Gor Mahia

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Here is Gor Mahia's appeal to CAF

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Statement from FKF courtesy of pulse.co.ke

Gor was not able to honor the payments nor enter into new agreements with the aforementioned players within the set CAF timelines, leaving FKF'S First Instance Body with no choice but to revoke its license.

Gor Mahia have had their club license officially revoked by the Football Kenya Federation First Instance body (FKF-FIB), Pulse Sports Kenya can confirm.

The decision was guided by Article 16 8(b) of the CAF Club licensing regulations for “violating its obligation” in paying one of its former players on time.

In a statement released by the Kenyan football governing body, Gor’s certificate has been revoked upon the counsel of the African governing body CAF for being in breach of Article 60 of the CAF licensing rules.
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The development arises after the club failing to settle the dues of three of its former players, namely Adama Keita, Jules Ulimwengu and Sando Yangayay, the latter who took the matter to CAF after the club failed to honor its agreement.

“The FKF First Instance Body (FIB), upon the counsel of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has revoked Gor Mahia’s Club Licensing Certificate for being in breach of Article 60 of the CAF Men’s Club Licensing Regulations,” the statement signed by CEO Barry Otieno read.

“The article states that any club applying for a license must prove that it has no overdue payables towards current and former employees as at 31st March of the year in which the CAF club competitions commence.

“ If the Licence applicant has overdue payables as at 31st March of the year in which the CAF club competitions commence, it shall have a grace period of two (2) months to prove that by the following 31st of May, such overdue payables have been fully settled or deferred by mutual agreement with the creditor. “


Gor declared that it had no overdue payables and indicated the existence of two agreements with two former players – Sando Yangayay and Adama Keita.

“The agreements signed by both parties had specific payment timelines and penalties. It is on the basis of the agreements that the club was granted a license to participate in the CAF’s Men’s interclub competitions in the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

On July 18, 2023, CAF notified Gor Mahia and FKF of a complaint in relation to a case that had been determined by FIFA. The complaint had been raised by Yangayay, who cited the club's “failure to honor overdue payments” as per the agreement.

CAF invalidated Gor’s license and suspended Gor’s participation in CAF’s interclub tournaments unless Gor settled the amounts owed to the player within 24 hours. CAF also directed the FIB - an independent decision-making body set up by all CAF’s Member Associations to review clubs’ license applications – to investigate the breach and any other overdue payables.

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CAF have released the official list of teams that will participate in the 2023-2024 Africa Champions League. Gor Mahia is not on the list. It is now official. Gor Mahia are out of the tournament.

[moketchus@yahoo.com]

I'm reading today that Jolawi Obondo is -The Gor Mahia's Commercial Director - Asking myself, when will Rachier give New breadth a chance to lead this CLUB??? We are loosing it from ALL quarters.

[Pap Onditi]

I'm reading today that Jolawi Obondo is -The Gor Mahia's Commercial Director - Asking myself, when will Rachier give New breadth a chance to lead this CLUB??? We are loosing it from ALL quarters.

Rachier likes to surround himself with people who don't challenge him. If you challenge his corrupt ways you will be sidelined. See how he treated Judith Nyangi and no Dolphina.