Kenya’s national football team has received an unprecedented boost ahead of their opening match in the African Nations Championship (CHAN), with President William Ruto announcing a Sh600 million reward package if Harambee Stars win the tournament.

The incentive, revealed on Saturday during a breakfast meeting , is the most ambitious financial pledge ever made to the team and marks a new chapter in government support for national sports.

The President met the squad just a day before their first match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to lift the team’s morale with a results-based reward plan. According to the structure, each player will pocket Sh1 million for every match won and Sh500,000 for every draw throughout the tournament.

Beyond individual match bonuses, the team stands to earn Sh60 million for reaching the quarterfinals, Sh70 million for advancing to the semifinals, and a groundbreaking Sh600 million if they emerge champions.

“His Excellency Dr William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, visited the Harambee Stars in camp ahead of their #CHAN2024 opener,” read part of an official communication from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

“He pledged a reward of Sh1 million to each member of the Harambee Stars delegation for every match won at #CHAN2024, and Sh500,000 for every draw. Should the team reach the quarterfinals, they will receive Sh60 million; Sh70 million for reaching the semifinals; and Sh600 million should they win the tournament.”

The President was accompanied by Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, FKF President Hussein Mohamed, Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi and Local Organising Committee Chair Nicholas Musonye, among other officials.

In its statement, FKF confirmed the pledge and lauded the show of support, emphasising that the government is fully behind the team’s campaign.

The federation also noted that the President used the visit to encourage the players and called on Kenyans to rally behind the squad as they take on the continent’s best.

The high-stakes fixture against DR Congo will be played on Sunday at the 60,000-seater Kasarani Stadium. The tournament's opening match, however, is scheduled to take place in Tanzania on Saturday, August 2.

The timing of the announcement is also symbolic, coming as Kenya prepares to co-host the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a move that has already intensified public expectations around the team’s performance.

This reward package, unmatched in Kenya’s football history, has been widely seen as a major confidence boost that could energise the Harambee Stars throughout the tournament. It also signals a shift in how national teams are supported, placing performance-based motivation at the centre of the government’s sports policy.