High Court lifts Patrick Matasi’s injunction, upholds FKF’s disciplinary powers

The ruling marks a significant win for FKF in its fight against match manipulation, as the court affirmed that the federation acted within its mandate under the FKF Anti–Match Manipulation Regulations.

Matasi had moved to court in April 2025, securing conservatory orders that temporarily restrained FKF from enforcing his 90-day suspension.

The suspension had been imposed in March 2025 after a viral video emerged online allegedly showing the Kakamega Homeboyz shot-stopper allegedly inside a vehicle discussing plans to influence the outcome of a domestic league match.

In its latest decision, however, the High Court ruled that it was convinced by FKF’s arguments and found no sufficient grounds to sustain Matasi’s petition.

The federation was represented by the law firm of Ochutsi Munyendo and Company Advocates.

The case had drawn significant attention within the Kenyan football community, not only because of Matasi’s status as the then national team player but also due to the sensitive nature of match-fixing claims.

FKF, in collaboration with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), launched an investigation into the allegations shortly after the video surfaced.

Matasi has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the individual in the video is not him. His club, Kakamega Homeboyz, has also publicly supported him, urging FKF to ensure due process is followed.

The controversy added to an already turbulent year for the experienced goalkeeper, who had faced criticism from fans following costly errors during Kenya’s 4–1 defeat to Cameroon in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Despite the court’s April ruling that had momentarily lifted his ban, FKF had not yet cleared Matasi to return to the pitch, citing the ongoing disciplinary process. The federation’s victory in court now paves the way for it to conclude the matter internally.

The decision is expected to set a precedent on how similar disputes between players and the football governing body are handled in future.