The English Premier League has attracted many great players, allowing the competing clubs to become extremely popular worldwide.
Thousands of English Premier League fans flock to see their favourite club play each week. Many clubs have fans worldwide who may not be able to watch their teams play in person.
You’ll ordinarily find a fan or two donning an EPL team jersey on the streets, indicating their popularity in Kenya.
Here are the seven EPL teams with the most fans in Kenya.
1. Arsenal
Arsenal FC is one of the most supported EPL clubs in Kenya. The club plays at the 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium in London, England.
Arsenal not only became a worldwide brand but also a household name in Kenya following their Invincible 2003/04 season win, an immortalized fete since the EPL’s rebranding in 1992.
Arsenal and Manchester United dominated the English top-flight league during the Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Fergurson era in the 1990s. The two managers won 16 Premier League titles, setting up one of the most famous rivalries in the league’s history.
The club has an estimated 113 million fans globally. Some of the club legends include Thierry Henry and star boy Bukayo Saka.
2. Manchester United
Manchester United has hosted their home matches at the 73,410-capacity Old Trafford since 1910. A traditional English football powerhouse, the club is the most successful English side, with over 20 EPL titles and three UEFA Champions League titles.
The club won a record 13 EPL Titles during the Ferguson era and the first ever after the League rebranding to the FA Premier League. Club legends include Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite being pipped by their local rivals, Man City, in recent success, the club still commands a huge following in Kenya, with an estimated 659 million worldwide fans.
3. Chelsea
Chelsea is one of the EPL teams with the most fans in Kenya. Chelsea gained a reputation during the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s era of free spending.
The club further entrenched itself in Kenya after Didier Drogba led them to their continental UEFA Champions League win in the 2011–12 season.
Housed at the 40,000-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium, the club is synonymous with Boda Boda riders and has an estimated 135 million global followers.
Other club legends include Michael Essien and Eden Hazard.
4. Liverpool
Liverpool are the second-most successful English club, with 19 Premier League and 6 UEFA Champions League titles.
Synonymous with their You’ll Never Walk Alone motto, Liverpool is one of the EPL clubs with the most fans in Kenya. Club legends include Steven Gerrard, Mohammed Salah, and Virgil Van Dijk.
The Merseyside club’s popularity soared in Kenya and globally during their 2019–20 season, where they pipped and broke Manchester City’s dominance to lift the English Premier League.
Liverpool has over 70 million fans worldwide and plays its home games at the 54,000-capacity Anfield Stadium.
5. Manchester City
Manchester City is a new entrant into the traditional Big Six football teams’ domain. The club plays at the 53,000-capacity stadium, and its success has only recently occurred in the last decade.
Man City was acquired by Qatari oil-rich giants, winning over 7 EPL titles and soaring the club’s popularity not only in Kenya but globally with over 18 million fans.
The club won an unprecedented treble in 2022–23, lifting their maiden UEFA Champions League. Club legends include Erling Haaland and Sergio Aguero.
6. Tottenham
Despite not winning any honours in recent times, Tottenham Hotspurs still hold a significant fan base in Kenya.
The club is one of the soccer teams with the most fans in Kenya, especially after they signed a Kenyan, Victor Wanyama.
Tottenham’s global fanbase is estimated at 179 million.
Tottenham moved from its former home, White Hart Lane, to a new ultra-modern 62,000-capacity Tottenham Stadium in 2015. Club legends include Golden Boot winner Harry Kane.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United is a second choice for many football fans in Kenya but is steadily gaining popularity. The club was recently acquired by a Saudi-backed owner who seems willing to splash around cash to raise the club’s profile.
Newcastle’s popularity has recently soared from their successes in the last two seasons, which include a return to the UEFA Champions League.
At their 52,000-capacity St. James Park Stadium, they thrashed PSG in a group stage match. Club legends include Alan Shearer and Alexander Isak.
