F.C. Kariobangi Sharks

Kariobangi Sharks was founded in the year 2000 and started in the lower divisions of the Nairobi league. The club offered an escape route[3] for the youth living around the area considered a crime hot spot.[4]

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.[5]

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 light[6] by handing them vital playtime at the topmost level.[7][8]

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.

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,[9] 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 2[10] 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.[11][12] 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.[13] Ugandan forward Mathew Tayo Odongo scored a consolation in added time to become the first Shark's player to score in the premier league.[14]

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,[15] and followed it up with a win over Nakumatt FC.[16] The first draw as a 1–1 tie away to Chemelil Sugar on 29 April 2017.

At the end of their debut top-flight season, K. Sharks was placed third with 55 points,[17] and produced the league's top scorer Masoud Juma who scored 17 goals,[18][19] and the league top goalkeeper John Oyemba who kept 16 clean sheets. Coach William Muluya was voted as the coach of the year,[20] 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.[21] He was also named the New Player of the year, the league's Most Valuable Player,[22] 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,[23] and went on to win the player of the year award.[24]

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.[25][26]

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 champions[28] 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 FC[29] in a rain derailed final that saw the two halves played on separate days.[30]

On 3 December 2018, Sharks scooped the Kenyan Super Cup by seeing off league champions Gor Mahia F.C. 1–0.[31]

On 27 Jan 2019, Sharks claimed the SportPesa Cup title[32] after taking down Kenyan counterparts Bandari 1–0 in Dar es Salaam. The team earned a Kshs 3 million prize purse, and a chance to play English Premier League side Everton F.C. and went on to beat them on post-match penalties to win the SportPesa Trophy[33][34] in July 2019.

In late 2018, Sharks featured in continental football[35] for the first time ever[36] after being presented to represent Kenya[37] 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.[38][39] 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 draw[40] at home on 15 Dec 2018 by Ghana's Asante Kotoko who went on to win the reverse tie 2-1[41] in Kumasi.

• Kenyan National Super League

Runners-up (1): 2016[54]

• GOtv Shield

Runners-up (2): 2017,[55] 2019[56]

Champion (1): 2018[57][58]

• Kenyan Super Cup

Champion (1): 2018/19[59]

• SportPesa Super Cup

Champion (1): 2019[60]

• SportPesa Trophy

Champion (1): 2019[61]

As of 6 June 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  KEN John Otieno 2 DF  SSD Ghai Panchol 3 DF  KEN Frederick Alushula 4 DF  KEN Collins Obanda 5 MF  KEN Isaac Wasambo 6 DF  KEN Steve Omollo 7 FW  KEN Sharrif Musa 8 MF  KEN Biko Omollo 10 FW  KEN Fortune Omotto 11 FW  KEN Geoffrey Onyango 12 FW  KEN Humphrey Omondi 13 DF  KEN Kevin Musamali 14 DF  KEN Timothy Ekhavi 15 MF  KEN Biron Otieno

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 GK  KEN Gedion Ogweno 17 MF  KEN Sigmunn Maina 18 FW  KEN Tyson Otieno 19 MF  KEN Paul Odhiambo 20 MF  KEN Mathew Kibiwott 21 MF  KEN Leonlevitt Osiago 22 FW  KEN Julius Masaba 23 MF  KEN Keith Imbali 25 DF  KEN Kevin Luke Otiala 26 FW  KEN Moses Shikanda 28 FW  KEN Patrick Ngunyi 29 DF  KEN Zablon Kutela 30 FW  KEN Kevin Ouru 40 GK  KEN Sebastian Wekesa

Top scorers per season. * Award shared during that season

Year	Player	Goals
*2012	Meshack Karani	8
*2012	Vincent Odongo	8
2013	Samuel Muringu	8
2014	Francis Nambute	3
*2015	Ibrahim Kitawi	7
*2015	Rodgers Omondi	7
2016	Ibrahim Kitawi	12
2017	Masoud Juma	17
2018	Erick Kapaito	16
2018-19	Erick Kapaito	9
*2019-20	Duke Abuya	3
*2019-20	Sydney Lokale	3
*2019-20	Patrick Otieno	3
2020-21	Erick Kapaito	24
2021-22	Felix Oluoch	12
2022-23	Tyson Otieno	9

• Kariobangi Sharks LiveScores