East Africa loves football. From the streets of Nairobi and the markets of Kampala to the beaches of Dar es Salaam, the passion for soccer is an undeniable current running through the region. Yet, despite fan support, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania haven’t translated this enthusiasm into sustained international success.
A new book that draws on the career-long research of Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu explores the deep roots of the game in the region. It also examines the structural and gender challenges and the immense opportunities that lie ahead. We asked him about it.
How was the modern game introduced?
The sport is linked to the region’s colonial past. Britain established the East Africa Protectorate (which became Kenya) in 1895 and formally declared it a colony in 1920. Germany colonised mainland Tanzania (as German East Africa) in the 1880s, and control shifted to Britain after the first world war. Uganda became a protectorate in 1894 when Britain consolidated its control after a treaty with the Kingdom of Buganda.
So the game took root in the early 1900s, introduced by British settlers. Missionaries apparently introduced football to Uganda in 1897. At first it was a leisure activity for colonials and a tool for social control of the local population. It took up spare time and instilled British values and ideals.
The game was already popular in Britain. Institutionalised through the education system, sport was deemed to instil a sense of discipline and work ethic in young people. The competitiveness of sport in the British culture was exported to the colonised territories.
How did it change over time?
In east Africa, the game quickly took on a life of its own. Most east African societies valued physical activities like dance or wrestling. They found it easy to embrace sports. Football became a favourite.
The game transcended its colonial purpose to become a medium for regional interaction. Later it would also be a vehicle for nationalist expression as teams were formed along ethnic lines (something the British had used to divide and rule).
Fanatical support for local clubs and regional teams was replicated for national teams as they started playing in international matches. The inaugural international match between Kenya and Uganda was played in 1924. This was named the Gossage Cup in 1926 after a British soap manufacturer donated a trophy for the occasion.
Later Tanzania and Zanzibar joined to make it an east African tournament. The Gossage Cup not only fostered a sense of rivalry among the countries, it created a unique regional sporting identity that lives on today through its successor, the Cecafa Cup.
As east Africa gained independence in the early 1960s, football became fully integrated into the political and social fabric of the new nations. Football matches were even part of independence celebrations.
East African countries were quick to affiliate with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and global football body Fifa. Before independence, clubs were already active and engaged in invitational tournaments. But after independence, national leagues were launched. These set out to identify the best players to represent each country.
Today, the sport’s deep connection to collective belonging is evident in rivalries between clubs like Kenya’s AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, which often symbolise shared political underdog status and profound communal identity.
The football pitch is, in essence, an extension of the political landscape.
What have the challenges been in the sport’s development?
The most striking feature of football structures in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is not their difference. It’s their shared organisational shortcomings. While each country maintains its own league and administrative body, their mediocre international performance stems from common, deep-seated issues.
The recent qualification of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania’s youth teams for the Fifa Under-17 World Cup marks a turning point for east African soccer. This is a direct result of strategic, targeted investment – mainly from Fifa’s development programmes – that’s finally bearing fruit. But the senior teams continue to struggle, even on the continental stage.
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To date only Uganda has managed to reach the finals of the Afcon tournament (in 1978). No east African country has come even close to qualifying for the Fifa World Cup.
What’s gone wrong?
The challenges are a direct result of the three nations’ shared colonial and post-colonial experiences.
The main organisational issues plaguing football include:
- Poor governance and leadership. Political intrigue and corruption within football federations undermine long-term development.
- Weak financial management. Inefficient and opaque handling of funds leads to underfunding of development programmes.
- Lack of resources. These include infrastructure, facilities, equipment and trained technical personnel.
These challenges create a cycle of short-sighted planning and administrative chaos. This hinders the development of elite talent and explains the region’s perpetual failure to consistently qualify for major tournaments. Kenya, for example, had to play most of its 2026 World Cup qualifying matches away in other countries with better facilities.
Where does the women’s game find itself?
The women’s game faces the same headwinds, often magnified by gender disparities. Although women have shown the capacity to perform and compete, chronic underfunding and weak governance are typically more pronounced than in the men’s game.
However, the recent successes of teams like the Harambee Starlets (Kenya) and the Crested Cranes (Uganda) in qualifying for continental tournaments signal immense untapped potential.
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The growth of women’s football is an opportunity for the region to avoid the historical baggage that weighs down the men’s leagues – if there’s dedicated investment and governance reform.
The continued support for the women’s game from Fifa is already paying dividends. East African teams have qualified for age group competitions at the global level.
How can passion be turned into future success?
The greatest opportunity lies in the very thing that makes the sport strong in the region: its passionate and popular foundation.
It requires a focus on two areas:
- Reform and professionalisation. Managing finances transparently and rooting out political interference. Focusing on long-term, merit-based leadership within federations. Professionalising the domestic leagues to keep and develop local talent.
- Investment in youth and infrastructure. Dedicated funding is needed for grassroots and youth development programmes. Building and maintaining quality training facilities must be a priority.
East Africa’s football destiny does not have to be perpetual failure. By calling on the region’s shared identity and addressing the deep-seated organisational flaws, east Africans can finally begin to translate their profound love for the game into the international success their fans deserve.
Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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