NAIROBI, January 2- Football Kenya Federation has given Gor Mahia and Sofapaka special dispensation to sign up to seven foreign players to boost their squads ahead of their CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns.
In a statement, FKF president Sam Nyamweya said this was to give them a chance to progress to the latter lucrative stages of the continental competitions.
However, the two clubs will only be permitted to use a maximum five foreign players in next season’s Kenyan Premier League as the rules dictates.
“Also our clubs need to set their sights in signing players from other countries as it is common with other top African sides with an aim of reaching the CAF quarter final stages where the monetary gains are huge.
“Currently Kenyan clubs are allowed to sign only five foreigners but as a federation we have seen the need to expand the signing to seven players for the two clubs as they prepare for the CAF Champions league and CAF Confederations cup kicking off in February,” Nyamweya’s New Year Day statement read in part.
“Gor Mahia and Sofapaka can only use the players in the above tournaments but the rule of five foreigners in the local league will remain,” he added.
Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia take on Madagascar’s CNAPS in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League and had confirmed 18 players for the continental assignment.
GOtv Shield winners Sofapaka will take on FC Platinum in the second tier competition hoping to emulate their run in 2011 when they fell one hurdle short of making the lucrative group stages.