Kenyan record champions Gor Mahia will visit rivals AFC Leopards at Nyayo Stadium, seeking to overturn the first round 1-0 defeat.
The fixture will see Gor Mahia open a five-point gap at the top of the 18-team league table if they manage to win.
However, should AFC Leopards beat their sworn rivals, they will not only move above them, but will have completed a memorable double over the nemesis.
With five matches remaining to conclude the season, Gor Mahia are currently leading the pile with 58 points, two more than second-placed AFC Leopards.
Gor Mahia have registered 17 wins, seven draws, and four defeats, while AFC, under coach Fred Ambani, have managed 16 wins, seven draws, and suffered five defeats.
When is the derby and how can you watch?
The matchday 29th fixture will be played on Sunday, April 26th, at Nyayo National Stadium.
The game will be televised live on Tanzania’s Pay TV Channel Azam TV, who are FKF’s broadcast partners, on Azam Sports 4HD and will kick off at 13:00hrs.
What have the coaches said?
Ahead of the derby, Gor Mahia assistant coach Bismark Kobi-Mensah has revealed why the club is concerned about facing their rivals at the moment.
“It (Mashemeji Derby) is a very big and difficult game. We have not been able to win our last three matches, nor have we scored a goal, and that is a very big worry for us. We are focusing on improving many areas like that,” Kobi-Mensah told Azam TV.
“It is one game where we really need a stable temperament and to be tactically ready. In our last derby, we had some bad moments, more so in the first 10 minutes, where the players looked not to be ready mentally to start the match.”
Kobi-Mensah added: “We have watched AFC Leopards and know their strengths and weaknesses, and we now just need to work and be ready for the match.”
AFC Leopards coach Ambani has challenged his players to bounce back following their defeat against the law enforcers. According to Ambani, Leopards have no option but to win the derby.
“We must look at how we will win the derby as that is our next option. The players must know at least, it is not all lost, there is another day and we are still in the race,” said Ambani.
During the first meeting played on December 7th, 2025, AFC Leopards ended a run of five matches without beating Gor Mahia after securing a 1-0 win.
The last time Ingwe had managed to beat K’Ogalo was during the first meeting of the 2023 campaign, when they secured a 2-1 win.
Form guide
Gor Mahia will face AFC Leopards, seeking to end a run of three matches without a victory. Since defeating Shabana FC 2-1, Gor Mahia have remained winless in the subsequent three matches.
After Shabana, Gor Mahia drew 0-0 against Kariobangi Sharks before suffering a 1-0 defeat against Tusker, followed by another 0-0 draw against Bandari FC.
For AFC Leopards, they saw their three-game run halted by champions Kenya Police FC in a 3-0 defeat.
Prior to the defeat, AFC Leopards had defeated Tusker 1-0, Kariobangi Sharks 1-0, and Murang’a Seal 2-0. Out of the 98 derby matches played so far, Gor Mahia have secured 34 wins, 35 draws, while AFC Leopards have 29 wins.
Ticketing information
According to AFC Leopards, who will be the home team, no tickets will be sold on matchday, and there will be no parking at the match venue.
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has called on AFC Leopards to consider lowering ticket prices. Regular terrace tickets will go for Sh300, while VIP tickets are set at Sh1,000.
The prices have been set by AFC Leopards, who last won the Kenyan top-flight league in the 1998-99 season.
“Let’s make ticketing affordable to attract more fans. Looking at the current state of the economy, it is not very favourable,” said Rachier.
Last season, the first-round meeting between the two giants ended in a 0-0 draw before the return fixture produced a 1-1 draw. However, during the 2024-25 campaign, Gor Mahia went home smiling after sealing a double over their rivals.
In the first-round meeting, Gor Mahia secured a 2-0 win before registering a 1-0 victory in the second-round meeting on their way to winning a record 21st league title.
