F.C. Kariobangi Sharks, commonly known as Sharks or K. Sharks, is a Kenyan professional football club. They have been featured in Kenya's top league, the FKF Premier League, since the year 2017.Citizen, 10 Dec 2016 Sharks defy Nzoia to bask in KPL promotion glory Nation, 10 Dec 2016 Kariobangi Sharks silence Nzoia to earn promotion
History Kariobangi Sharks was founded in the year 2000 and started in the lower divisions of the Nairobi league. The club offered an escapeThe-Star, 16 Mar 2019 Kariobangi Sharks players a beacon of hope and valid dreams in crime-prone slum for the youth living around the area, which was considered a crime hot spot.The-Star, 17 Jul 2019 How team with quirky goal celebrations lifted youth from crime to world-beaters
The club came to life after a young man by the name Nick Mwendwa tracked a set of young players who leisurely passed time at the basketball court of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Kariobangi mostly after school going hours and during the weekends.SportPesa News, 11 Jun 2019 The Rise Of Kariobangi Sharks From The Ghetto To Glory
He offered them guidance and assistance through his savings to provide the bare necessities such as balls and boots. He then started training them every weekend. The team started out as Kariobangi Sportive, but after a few years rebranded to be known as Kariobangi Sharks FC.
After playing in local tournaments for some time, the team was finally registered to make them eligible of playing in the lowest tier in the country starting with Nairobi County League.
As has been the norm from its early days, Sharks is known for bringing unknown players to lightMichezoafrika, 27 Jan 2013 Sharks to stick to talent development philosophy by handing them vital playtime at the topmost level.Mozzart Sport, 20 Jul 2022 Kariobangi Sharks sign seventeen youngsters to replace voids left by fleeing seniors Capital News, 8 Mar 2023 Sharks’ Coach Muluya Keen To Turn Youngsters Into Title Challengers In Two Years
The team trains at Utalii College where the management has signed a memorandum of understanding with the school to allow them to use the grounds while upgrading the facilities. The clubs' traditional colors are yellow and green with either kit being worn with socks of the same color.
Promotions A few years after inception, the team scaled upward from Division II which was the lowest national football tier. In 2011 the club was promoted to the KFF Nationwide League and finished fourth on their first attempt in Kenya's second-tier league. The team had a fair chance of promotion while featuring at the same level the next year in what had been rebranded to the 2012 FKF Division One. But after topping the standings for a better part of the first leg,Michezo Afrika, 24 Jul 2012 Sharks keeping cool with Promotion in mind the team dipped in the second half and ended up seventh.
Sharks were to give promotion another shot in 2013 while featuring in the FKF Div One-Gr 2Michezo Afrika, 24 Jan 2013 Sharks recharged to give promotion another try but were to contend with a fourth-place finish. The attempts continued through the 2014 Kenyan National Super League and 2015 seasons, and it is toward the end of the 2016 season that the team earned promotion to the Kenyan Premier League after beating Nzoia Sugar F.C. 1–0 in the final game on 10 Dec in Sudi Stadium.Capital FM, 9 Dec 2016 Kariobangi Sharks To Throw All At Nzoia For Promotion Guarantee Nation, 10 Dec 2016 Kariobangi Sharks silence Nzoia to earn promotion Patilah Omoto, a Shark's homegrown player, and captain, scored the lone goal that guaranteed elevation.
Sharks made its Kenyan Premier League debut against 15-time champions Gor Mahia F.C. in Thika Stadium on Sunday 12 Mar 2017 but had a false start losing the game 3–1.Goal, 12 Mar 2017 K.Sharks 1-3 Gor Mahia: K’Ogalo swallow Sharks in KPL opener Ugandan forward Mathew Tayo Odongo scored a consolation in added time to become the first Shark's player to score in the premier league.Standard, 13 Mar 2017 GOR FRY SHARKS: Kariobangi lose their first ever top-flight match in KPL
The team went on to lose the next two games to Muhoroni Youth and Ulinzi Stars by identical 1-0 losses. Their first-ever premier league win was a 2–0 away triumph over Nzoia Sugar in Sudi Stadium on 9 April 2017 after second-half goals by Bolton Omwenga, and Patilah Omoto,Goal, 9 Apr 2017 Kariobangi Sharks register first win of the season and followed it up with a win over Nakumatt FC.Nation, 17 Apr 2017 Sub Masoud hands Sharks tight win over Nakumatt The first draw as a 1–1 tie away to Chemelil Sugar on 29 April 2017.
Club achievements At the end of their debut top-flight season, K. Sharks was placed third with 52 points,Goal, 12 Oct 2017 KPL debutants, Kariobangi Sharks now target top three finish and produced the league's top scorer Masoud Juma who scored 17 goals,Goal, 18 Nov 2019 Kariobangi Sharks striker tops the chart Goal, 11 Dec 2017 Kariobangi Sharks striker leads nominees for awards and the league top goalkeeper John Oyemba who kept 16 clean sheets. Coach William Muluya was voted as the coach of the year,Futaa, 12 Jan 2018 Awards: Muluya named 2017 KPL coach of the year while midfielder Sven Yida was nominated among the league's New Player of the Year.
The team was placed sixth the next season, and once again produced the league's top scorer in Erick Kapaito with 16 goals.Nation, 8 Oct 2018 16-goal Sharks striker wins golden boot on final day He was also named the New Player of the year, the league's Most Valuable Player,Goal, 25 Oct 2018 Kariobangi Sharks' forward Erick Kapaito crowned 2018 KPL Most Valuable Player and emerged runners-up in the Fair Play category.
Shark again produced the top scorer in the 2020/21 premier league season in Kapaito who scored 24 goals,Goal, 23 Aug 2021 Kapaito: Kariobangi Sharks forward claims FKF Golden Boot award and went on to win the player of the year award.CAFOnline, 15 Ssep 2021 Kariobangi Sharks forward Kapaito named FKF Premier League MVP
Domestic cup In the year 2017, K. Sharks made it to the final of the GOtv Shield Cup but had to settle for silver after losing 2–0 to A.F.C. Leopards in the final.Standard, 20 Oct 2017 AFC Leopards beat Kariobangi Sharks 2-0 to reclaim GOtv Shield title Citizen, 20 Oct 2017 Leopard's Turn The Tide Against Sharks To Win GOtv Shield
In the year 2018, K. Sharks returned to the final of the FKF President's Cup, known as 2018 FKF SportPesa Shield due to sponsorship purposes, and were crowned championsCitizen, 20 Oct 2018 Kariobangi Sharks Crowned Shield Champions after seeing off Sofapaka FC 3–2 in the final with a brace from Ugandan striker George Abege and a goal from Sydney Lokale.
The team got to the Cup final for the third straight year in a row in 2019 but lost their title after going down 3–1 to Bandari FCCapital FM, 2 Jun 2019 Bandari Hit Holders Sharks Clinch Shield Title in a rain derailed final that saw the two halves played on separate days.Capital News, 1 Jun 2019 Sharks, Bandari FKF Shield Final Rained Off
K. Sharks made it to the semis of the 2024 domestic cup, dubbed MozzartBet Cup,FKF, 28 Apr 2024 Kariobangi Sharks and AFC Leopards advance into the semi final of Mozzart Bet Cup but missed out on a place in the final after falling to KCB FC on post match penalties at the Police Sacco Stadium in South C, Nairobi.KBC, 26 May 2024 Mozzart Bet Cup: KCB through to final, abandoned AFC Vs Kenya Police match to be replayed Monday
Trophies On 3 December 2018, Sharks scooped the Kenyan Super Cup by seeing off league champions Gor Mahia F.C. 1–0.CafOnline, 4 Dec 2018 Kariobangi Sharks beat Gor to Kenya's Super Cup
On 27 Jan 2019, Sharks claimed the SportPesa Cup titleThe-Star, 3 Dec 2018 Sharks maul Gor: Simale's lone goal hands Kariobangi side maiden Super Cup title after taking down Kenyan counterparts Bandari F.C. (Kenya) 1–0 in Dar es Salaam to earn Kshs 3 million in prize money.
In winning the SportPesa Cup, the team grabbed the chance to play English Premier League side Everton F.C. whom they went on to beat post-match penalties to win the SportPesa Trophy at a packed Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi in July 2019.Give Me Sport, 28 Dec 202 Kenyan side's epic showboating vs Everton in 2019 remembered Capital FM, 7 Jul 2019 Bwire Stars As Sharks Beat Everton In Nairobi
Continental football In late 2018, Sharks featured in continental footballNation, 22 Nov 2018 Kariobangi Sharks look to swim far in Confederation Cup for the first time everGoal, 26 Nov 2018 Kariobangi Sharks upbeat ahead of Caf Confederation Cup debut after being presented to represent KenyaXinhuanet, 21 Oct 2018 Sharks to represent Kenya at CAF Confed Cup after domestic trophy win by virtue of winning the domestic Cup in October 2018. The team featured in the 2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup qualifying rounds starting in the preliminary rounds against Djibouti's Arta/Solar7.
K. Sharks first hosted the Djibouti side at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on 27 Nov 2018, and went on to register a memorable 6–1 win.Michezo Afrika, 28 Nov 2018 Kariobangi Sharks maul Djibouti’s Solar in Confed Cup debut The International News, 29 Nov 2018 Sharks score six in CAF Confed Cup debut Duke Abuya scored the opener in the second minute to become the club's first scorer of a continental goal. The team went on to win the reverse tie 3–0 to proceed to the 1st round proper with a 9-1 aggregate score.
They did not proceed past the next stage after being held to a 0–0 drawFKF, 15 Dec 2018 CAF Confederations Cup: Kariobangi Sharks held by Kotoko at home on 15 Dec 2018 by Ghana's Asante Kotoko who went on to win the reverse tie 2-1Goal, 23 Dec 2018 Caf Confederation Cup: Asante Kotoko 2-1 Kariobangi Sharks (Agg: 2-1): Five things we learnt in Kumasi.
Performance in CAF competitions Continental appearances CAF Confederation Cup: 1 appearance 2018-19 – First Round
Continental results Season Competition Round Country Club Score 2018–19 Confederation Cup Preliminary Round Arta/Solar7 6-1,0-3 First Round Asante Kotoko 0-0,2-1
Records
TypeNatNameRecordMost Trophies Won - CoachWilliam Muluya4Most league goalsErick Kapaito51Most capped playerOsborne Monday27Most league goals in a seasonErick Kapaito24Standard, 13 Aug 2021 FKF Premier League: Top scorer Kapaito reaches 24 goals as Sharks bounce back Longest unbeaten run2016 NSL29Record victoryvs Kisumu All Stars vs Muhoroni Youth8–1Nation, 2 Feb 2020 Kariobangi Sharks hit All Stars for eight 7-0Capital News, 4 Nov 2017 Sharks Demolish Troubled Muhoroni 7-0 Record defeatvs Homeboyz6–1Mozzart Sport, 30 Apr 2023 Mozzart Bet Cup: Kakamega Homeboyz pump half a dozen past hapless Sharks to book semis spot Inter-record victoryvs AS Arta/Solar76-1The-Star, 27 Nov 2018 Kariobangi Sharks clear first hurdle in Caf Confed Cup campaign
Premier League records SeasonPosRecordPWDLFAGDCSPts20173341313842261616522018634131294840810512018–19934101594037311452019-20122248102732 -57202020-21532146124542311482021-221034129134439510452022-231134101113464605412023-2473412121044341010482024-251134 816102929013402025-261634 814123033 -31438Total32610410810639535837107428
Second tier League records SeasonPosRecordPWDLFAGDCSPts20113281963531934632012737169125142914572013422115636251173820148225981925 -69242015438188544212316622016238241135821372183Total1859148372611539760289
CS - Clean Sheet
Domestic Cup