WPL: 2020 season to have two zones as FKF rings changes

The national Women’s Premier League has assumed a new format after it was divided into two zones ahead of the 2020 season.

Football Kenya Federation on Wednesday released the zoning with champions Vihiga Queens clustered in Zone B which has eight teams.

Other clubs in this zone are: Sep Oyugis from Nyanza, Wadadia, TansNzoia Falcons, Oserian Ladies, Nakuru Queens, Kisumu AllStarlets and Eldoret Falcons.

Zone A comprises of seven teams – Thika Queens, Makolanders, Gaspo Women, Zetech Sparks, Mathare United Ladies, Kayole Starlets and Ulinzi Starlets (formerly Kahawa Starlets).

FKF media relations officer Ken Okaka said that the move to split the league into two zones was arrived at after a consultative meeting held by the Federation and club representatives, adding that the aim is to help clubs minimize costs with grants from Fifa not forthcoming.

Okaka says that this decision was reached after FIFA failed to release grants to support women football and they are in talks to see if the grants will be released.

“Clubs have been going through financial constraints and so it was hard for them to incur travel costs to play away matches,” said Okaka.

However, in a rejoinder, Vihiga Queens coach Alex Alumira criticized the move saying it will only help teams in Zone A as they have a smaller geographical area to cover.

“The zoning will not cut costs for Zone B teams because they will have to travel long distances to play the matches,”observed Alumira

Alumira fears that with ‘zoning’, national team scouts may fail to extend their talent search to western Kenya where they’ll predominantly play their matches hence denying their players national team call-ups.

Okaka however dispelled this fear