FKF Division One

The league was formed after the Kenyan Nationwide League was divided into two 16-team zones in 2008. In 2009 the two zones were later restructured to form "Nationwide League Division One" and "Nationwide League Division Two", representing the second and third divisions of Kenyan football.[1] Division One was later renamed the FKL Nationwide League after former governing body Football Kenya Limited, while Division Two was renamed the KFF Nationwide League after former governing body, the Kenya Football Federation. The two leagues were merged after the 2011 season, and the consequent league was divided into Zone A and Zone B, with teams from the Eastern and Western halves Kenya respectively. Due to a lack of enough teams from Zone B, a number of teams were promoted from the provincial leagues in the Western half.

For the 2013 season, all Division One teams endorsed a decision to split both Zone A and Zone B into two groups of 12 teams each, increasing the total number of teams in the league to 48. It was decided that the first group from Zone A comprise teams from the Nairobi, Aberdares and Mount Kenya regions while the second group comprise teams from the Eastern, North and South Coast regions. The first group from Zone B is to comprise teams from the South Nyanza, Central and South Rift regions while the second group comprise teams from the North Nyanza, North Rift and Western regions. Winners from each of these four groups will play the winners from the other group in their zone in a two-legged play-off tie to determine who gains promotion to the Kenyan Premier League for the following season.[2][3][4]

From the beginning of the 2014 season, FKF Division One was taken down to the third tier of the Kenyan football league system to give way to the Kenyan National Super League, now putting it above the Kenyan Provincial League, in line with the introduction of a new six-tier system by the Football Kenya Federation to take effect at the beginning of that season.[5]

There are 24 clubs in each of the two divisions of the FKF Division One. These two divisions are further divided into two groups of 12 teams each. During the course of a season, each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home ground and once at that of their opponents. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the winners of each of the 4 groups play the winners of the other group in their zone in a two-legged play-off tie to determine who advances to the Kenyan National Super League, in place of the last two teams from that league, who are then placed in their respective zones depending on their locations of origin. Promoted teams from the Provincial League are also placed in their respective zones depending on their locations of origin.

If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.

• Futaa.com - Kenyan Football Website