Documentary released on how climate change is threatening grassroots football in Kenya

A new analysis has revealed that extreme rainfall is already rendering grassroots football pitches in Mathare unplayable, with climate change projected to worsen the situation in the coming decades significantly.

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Mathare has consistently produced talented athletes across different sports who have gone on to compete at both national and international levels.

However, that legacy is increasingly under threat as climate change brings heavier rainfall and rising temperatures.

The outlook for grassroots football pitches across Kenya is expected to deteriorate further, with the analysis warning that by 2100, rainfall during major storms affecting Mathare could be 68 per cent higher than current levels.

The findings were presented in the documentary Pitches in Peril: Mathare 4A, screened on Tuesday by UK non-profit organisation Football for Future and Danish humanitarian organisation DanChurchAid during an event hosted by the British High Commission in Nairobi.

The analysis, co-produced by Football for Future in collaboration with climate risk and resilience analytics firm Jupiter Intelligence, also shows that rising temperatures will intensify heat stress, which is projected to double by 2040.

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“By 2100, rising temperatures could result in 17 days each year when extreme heat disrupts football activity, while water stress is projected to increase by 345 per cent, creating additional challenges for maintaining community pitches,” the report states.

The findings expose the growing threats facing grassroots football in Kenya while highlighting the need to invest in climate adaptation as part of the legacy of grassroots football and future tournaments.

Released a year before AFCON 2027, the documentary revisits the devastating floods that swept through Nairobi's Mathare community in 2024, destroying homes, claiming lives, and leaving one of the area's most important football pitches submerged.

It follows FKF Premier League footballer Meschack Ochieno, currently with Sofapaka FC, as he calls for the protection of community pitches to safeguard the next generation of football talent.

“For many of us, pitches like Mathare 4A are where everything begins. It’s where young people find purpose, build friendships, and believe in themselves.

Communities like Mathare are strong and resilient, but when those spaces are affected by extreme weather, it’s not just football that is lost; it’s opportunity. Protecting these pitches means protecting the next generation of talent,” he said.

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Beyond nurturing talent, the British High Commission noted that community pitches also provide young people with a social anchor, promote healthy lifestyles, and help develop the skills needed to compete for sports scholarships.

“A pitch is more than a place to play. This event reflects the UK’s commitment to working with Kenya to support communities in adapting to climate change.

We have brought together governments, sport, and community foundations in partnership to help shape a legacy of protecting these pitches, the grassroots foundations of our sport, for the future,” British High Commissioner to Kenya Matt Baugh said.

The documentary also shows that the threat extends beyond Kenya, revealing that 14 of the 16 FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums had already exceeded safe-play thresholds for at least three major climate hazards in 2025: extreme heat, unplayable rainfall, and flooding.

This comes as global attention shifts towards the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“Mathare 4A reminds us that the future of football is not only decided in stadiums. It is shaped on community pitches, in local neighbourhoods, and through the opportunities football creates for young people every day.

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As East Africa prepares to host AFCON 2027, we have a unique opportunity to ensure the tournament leaves a legacy that strengthens and protects the places where the game begins,” said Elliot Arthur-Worsop, Founder of Football for Future.

DanChurchAid Secretary General Jonas Vejsager Nøddekær said the story from Mathare demonstrates that climate adaptation is about protecting people's lives, opportunities, and futures.

“Climate impacts are already affecting communities around the world, and adaptation needs far greater political attention and financial support.

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Whether we are protecting homes, schools, farms, or football pitches, investing in adaptation is investing in people's ability to live safely and with dignity in a changing climate,” he said.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed attended the event with Kenyan football legend Victor Wanyama, climate experts, and representatives from the governments of Kenya, Denmark, and the United Kingdom to discuss how climate adaptation can become part of the lasting legacy of AFCON 2027.