Kariobangi Sharks to play Everton on July 7 in Nairobi

Everton FC will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to take on Kariobangi Sharks FC in the first 2019 pre-season friendly announced by the English Premier League club.

The game will take place on Sunday, 7 July (kick off TBC) at the Kasarani Stadium.

Sharks are winners of the 2019 edition of the Super Cup, East Africa’s biggest football tournament, which took place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in January.

Their 1-0 win over Bandari FC gave them regional supremacy and the opportunity to play Everton.

The game against Sharks marks Everton’s second visit to East Africa.

The team travelled to Tanzania in July 2017 to face inaugural Super Cup winners Gor Mahia FC in a game the Toffees won 2-1 – the first time a Premier League club had visited East Africa.

In November 2018, Kenya’s Gor travelled to Goodison Park – the first occasion an East African club side has played a Premier League club in the UK.

While in Tanzania, Everton took part in a range of cultural and charitable activities across Dar-es-Salaam.

Albino United

Players met members of Albino United Football Club, locals in the Maasai village Ngorongoro Maasai Boma, and visited the Uhuru Mchanganyiko Primary School to learn about programmes that are helping deaf and blind students receive the same level of education as their classmates.

Alan McTavish, Commercial Director at Everton Football Club, said: “We are extremely excited to be heading back to Africa to play against Kariobangi Sharks FC.

“We were given an exceptionally warm welcome when we played in Tanzania in 2017 and are looking forward to visiting Kenya and what we know will be a fantastic experience in the Kasarani Stadium.”