The Kenya Premier League is staring at a possibility of starting the new season without a title sponsor after delays in sealing a deal with one of the six cooperates courted to replace SportPesa.

With nine days remaining to the first match of the 2019-2020 season, KPL is yet to attract a title sponsor after the previous one closed it’s financial taps, citing unfavourable business environment—a move which also rendered champions Gor Mahia and their football nemesis AFC Leopards sponsor-less.

The league body, which is understood to have approached six entities in their hunt to land a new title sponsor, remains uncertain of wiring grants to the 18 clubs which constitute the top flight.

However, they insist that the season will run as scheduled even without a sponsor. Each club was entitled to an approximated Sh500, 000 monthly pay from KPL last season.

KPL endured a rough financial patch last year in January after losing their title sponsor who withdrew, citing tax hike but later returned in April albeit with limited funds.

KPL was set to host an urgent club chairmen meeting last week but was pushed forward to this week and according to their Chief Executive Officer Jack Oguda, convincing cooperates to chip in has proved tough and a slow process which is likely to go past the opening rounds of the new season.

Oguda said they will need money to run their final top-flight season as their contract with Football Kenya Federation is set to end next year.

He said: “The process of getting a new sponsor is quite lengthy and we may experience delays before we get a positive response. We have approached six corporates and none has responded but I can confirm the league will start and run as planned.”

“We have a few days remaining to the first match and with no approval of our partnership with the potential sponsors approached, then we may have to wait a little bit longer but we are pushing. Clubs do not solely rely on the grants we give them and I am sure despite the challenges, the league will flow smoothly,” Oguda added.

Earlier on, KPL was rumoured to be nearing an agreement with one of the leading banks in the country which sponsors an FKF Division two outfit but Oguda refuted the claims.

“We haven’t come to an agreement with the said bank at all. Any links suggesting that we have a new sponsor should be treated as rumours,” he added.