Who will rule the FKF Premier League? Mozzart Sport writers make their predictions

The FKF Premier League returns with a familiar question, but perhaps fewer familiar answers: who will be crowned champions?Gor Mahia begin the 2026-2027 season as defending champions after finishing five points clear of AFC Leopards last season.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsK’Ogalo collected 69 points from 34 matches, winning 20, drawing nine and losing five.AFC Leopards finished second on 64 points, followed by Kenya Police on 55.Nairobi United, enjoying an impressive return to the top flight, finished fourth with 53 points, while Shabana completed the top five with 52.Tusker, surprisingly, finished ninth with 45 points.##NAJAVA_MECA_17201##Yet the Brewers ended the campaign with the trophy that mattered outside the league table, beating Kenya Police 2-1 in the MozzartBet Cup final in Kwale.Ian Simiyu scored twice as Tusker ended a decade-long wait for domestic silverware and secured continental football.That contrast makes Tusker one of the most fascinating teams to predict this season.And around the Mozzart Sport newsroom, there is little agreement.Josh Angatia: Leopards to take the crownTop five:1. AFC Leopards2. Gor Mahia3. Nairobi United4. Kenya Police FC5. Tusker FCMVP: Adama KantehGolden Boot: Musa CeesayCoach of the Season: Fred AmbaniGoalkeeper: Tom IkaraAngatia believes AFC Leopards will finally make the jump from challengers to champions.McCarthy plays down Kenya's chances of winning AFCON 2027Leopards won 19 of their 34 matches last season and finished just five points behind Gor Mahia.Their 28 goals conceded was also the second-best defensive record among the top five.His individual awards are equally Ingwe-heavy, with Adama Kanteh tipped to emerge as the league's standout player and Fred Ambani to claim the coaching prize.Imran Otieno: Champions stay championsTop five:1. Gor Mahia2. Tusker FC3. AFC Leopards4. Kenya Police FC5. Nairobi UnitedMVP: Dwang' JacksonGolden Boot: Victor MbaomaCoach of the Season: Charles AkonnorGoalkeeper: Perrauld NdingaOtieno has backed the champions to retain their crown.Gor's 69-point campaign was built on consistency.They scored 50 goals, conceded just 22 and lost only five matches, finishing with the best attack, defence and points tally in the league.How a three-day knee swelling forced Victor Wanyama into retirementHis biggest surprise is Tusker's second-place finish, while Victor Mbaoma is his Golden Boot pick.The Nigerian striker arrives at Ruaraka after finishing the previous NPFL season as Remo Stars' top scorer with 14 goals and four assists.He had also won the Rwandan league :Golden Boot' with APR after scoring 15 goals.Kevin Teya: Leopards one step aheadTop five:1. AFC Leopards2. Gor Mahia3. Nairobi United4. Tusker FC5. Kenya Police FCMVP: Tyson OtienoGolden Boot: Benson OmalaCoach of the Season: Fred AmbaniGoalkeeper: Perrauld Fran Dom Ndinga TsatouTeya also backs Leopards to finish above Gor Mahia, while placing Nairobi United ahead of Tusker and Police.Harambee Stars-eligible defender signs pro contract with Nottingham ForestNairobi United's fourth-place finish last season provides the basis for his prediction.The club collected 14 victories in 34 matches and ended only 11 points behind champions Gor Mahia.Teya expects the title race to remain tight and has Benson Omala as his Golden Boot pick.Sammy Gitahi: Tusker's revivalTop five:1. Tusker FC2. AFC Leopards3. Gor Mahia4. Nairobi United5. Kenya Police FCMVP: Fabian AdikinyGolden Boot: Paul OkothGolden Glove: Perrauld NdingaCoach of the Season: Julien MetteGitahi is willing to look beyond Tusker's ninth-place finish.Julien Mette took charge during the 2025/26 campaign and guided the Brewers to the FKF MozzartBet Cup, beating Police in the final.Fabian Adikiny is another reason for optimism.Government expresses confidence in 2027 AFCON alternative stadium timely completionHe made 37 appearances in all competitions last season, playing 2,725 minutes, and featured in every match of Tusker's cup-winning campaign.He has since signed a new two-year contract.Gitahi expects that momentum to carry into the league.Meshack Kisenge: Tusker at the summitTop five:1. Tusker FC2. Gor Mahia3. AFC Leopards4. Kenya Police FC5. KCB FCMVP: Tyson OtienoGolden Boot: Koutiama YvesGolden Glove: Pavelh NdzilaCoach of the Season: Julien MetteKisenge goes a step further, tipping Tusker to win the league.Pavelh Ndzila was in goal when Tusker beat Police in the cup final and produced a crucial late save from Daniel Sakari to preserve the 2-1 lead.Sigh of relief as Baraza registers first win of the season in TanzaniaLike Gitahi, Kisenge believes Mette's impact can translate into league success after the Frenchman helped turn around a difficult campaign.Victor Karuga: Why I am backing TuskerTop five:1. Tusker FC2. AFC Leopards3. Gor Mahia4. Nairobi United5. ShabanaMVP: Fabian AdikinyGolden Boot: Victor MbaomaGolden Glove: Kenya Police FC goalkeeperCoach of the Season: Julien MetteKaruga makes perhaps the boldest prediction of all, backing a team that finished ninth last season to win the league.The argument is built around Tusker's trajectory rather than their final position.Hearing about the AFCON 2025 final completedThe Brewers won the FKF MozzartBet Cup, secured continental football and retained key players.Adikiny and Simiyu both signed new two-year deals, while Tom Teka and Francis Oduor also extended their contracts.Then came Mbaoma, whose record makes him difficult to ignore.Karuga expects the Nigerian striker to win the 'Golden Boot', Adikiny to be named MVP and Mette to claim Coach of the Season after guiding Tusker to their first major trophy in a decade.The predictions are madeSix writers. Three different title contenders. No consensus.Gor Mahia have the strongest statistical case after last season's 69-point campaign, while AFC Leopards were their closest challengers.Nairobi United also proved their return to the top flight was no fluke, finishing fourth with 53 points.Then there is Tusker.Shabana head coach sets sight on lifting maiden league titleTheir ninth-place league finish cannot be ignored. Neither can the cup triumph, continental qualification, Mette's impact and the retention of several key players.That makes the Brewers the wild card in a title race that already has two established contenders.The predictions are made.Now the league gets to argue back.