All set ahead of seventh edition of Five Starz Champions League

Calls for deliberate and purposeful investment in grassroots football within Nairobi County echoed loudly during this year's launch of the Five Starz Champions League, with stakeholders underlining the need to capture the imagination and dreams of young people through such competitions.

This year's tournament will see 32 teams from the expansive Nairobi East and West branches battle for glory in what is expected to be a bigger and better seventh edition.

The seventh edition will run from June 21 to July 19 , with the winners set to receive Kshs 300,000. The runners-up will pocket Kshs 150,000, while the third-placed team will take home Kshs 100,000.

Speaking during the tournament's launch, one of the organisers, Allan Munyenzi, underlined the significant role the previous six editions have played in bridging the football development gap within Nairobi, which he said the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) cannot address in isolation.

"Of the 32 teams taking part in this year's edition, no team was approached by any of us organisers; they joined on their own volition. Some have been with us since the first edition, while others have joined along the way, and I can confidently say the initiative is growing bigger with every edition," said Munyenzi.

"This initiative is not ending anytime soon because our intention is to nurture football talent in Nairobi, hoping that one day it will spread across the entire county. Currently, we are only covering teams from Nairobi East and West regions," added Munyenzi.

Organisers have also announced plans to progressively integrate a women's competition as part of efforts to promote inclusivity and expand participation in football.

"This edition has introduced an inaugural ladies' category. Unfortunately, the numbers are not impressive, but at least we have four teams for a start. Their competition will begin at the semi final stage, where the two winners will advance to the final. The two semi final matches for the ladies will be played once the boys' category reaches the semi final stage," he added.

Organised by Umoja Impact Ventures, the tournament has continued to establish itself as one of Nairobi's leading grassroots football competitions, providing a platform for youth empowerment, talent identification, community engagement, and social transformation through sport.

This was echoed by Daudi 'Thuram' Obonyo, father of Harambee Stars striker Ryan Wesley Ogam, who noted that such tournaments have consistently provided exposure to grassroots players.

"These kinds of tournaments provide a platform for raw talent at the grassroots level and ultimately expose players to greater opportunities. I have seen this happen within my own family. Were it not for tournaments such as this, my son, Ogam, would not be where he is today".

"Without such initiatives, perhaps he would have remained just another young man on the streets of Nairobi," added the former Gor Mahia player.

Stakeholders led by Isaac Wambugu applauded the tournament for its consistency, having been staged over the last six years and now entering its seventh edition.

"We thank the organisers for giving us a tournament that has been running successfully for the last six years. As we enter the seventh edition, I am sure they will tell you it has not been easy, but we appreciate everything they have done to ensure it continues".

"We have seen tournaments run for a year or two only to disappear in the third year. We also thank the Federation (FKF) for its support. We can now organise this tournament knowing we have their backing and that it will not face sanctioning issues," added Wambugu.

The initiative has partnered with Mater Hospital, which will provide medical services throughout the tournament.

"We are privileged to have been included as part of this tournament. We are pleased to announce that we will provide medical support throughout the competition. We will have doctors and an ambulance on standby at the venue to ensure we respond to emergencies and any other situations requiring medical attention. We hope to grow alongside this tournament as it continues to expand," announced Dr. Charles Omondi.