Written by: Mohammed Omran
The coronation was not Arsenal The English Premier League title is not just a sporting achievement for its fans in Kenya, but has turned into an exceptional public event that reshaped the features of the capital, Nairobi, for many hours.
Thousands of Arsenal fans celebrate in the streets of Nairobi after winning the English Premier League title.
The streets were packed with thousands of fans wearing the club's colors and waving its flags, while the main roads and public squares turned into an open stage for celebrations, dancing and chanting.
These scenes reflect the immense popularity of the London club in Kenya, where the celebration transcended the boundaries of football to become an expression of years of waiting, passion, and belonging to a team that has always held a special place in the hearts of its fans.
Arsenal fans caused near-total paralysis of traffic in the central business district of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, during widespread celebrations of the team’s Premier League title win after years of waiting.
From the heart of the city to its various neighborhoods, Nairobi was adorned with Arsenal's red and white colors, along with the blue and white shirts of the team's alternate kits, as thousands of fans took to the streets to celebrate the historic achievement.
The streets of Kemati, Moi Street, Jojo Road, Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway and the areas surrounding the city center turned into a sea of red and white, as large numbers of fans flocked to follow the festive atmosphere surrounding Arsenal’s match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London.
Historic celebrations in Nairobi after winning the English Premier League title
The atmosphere was filled with the sounds of car horns, public transport buses, vuvuzelas, and sirens, while fans sang and danced in celebration of the team's return to the podium.
In various neighborhoods, it was difficult to walk a few meters without seeing a fan wearing an Arsenal shirt or waving the club's flag, expressing his joy at the title that ended years of waiting since the team's last triumph, which was linked in the minds of the fans with the historic "undefeated" season of 2003-2004.
Arsenal had officially clinched the league title on Wednesday after their closest rivals, Manchester City, drew 1-1 with Bournemouth, ensuring the London club would be crowned champions before the final round of the season.
At the Tom Mboya Memorial in central Nairobi, vendors took advantage of the festive atmosphere by offering a variety of products bearing the club's logo, from shirts and flags to hats and vuvuzelas, while the area turned into something resembling a popular carnival with dancing and singing continuing for hours.
The celebration was organized through an open invitation to Arsenal fans in Nairobi, bearing the slogan: “Let’s show Nairobi what it means to be an Arsenal fan… Everyone is invited.”.
The celebrations extended to public transport, with many of Kenya’s famous “Matato” buses displaying the club’s flags, and passengers joining in the joyful atmosphere that swept through the capital.
Extraordinary scenes in Nairobi after winning the English Premier League
Joseph O Nyango, an Arsenal fan, said that the fans had been ridiculed for many years, adding that the current celebrations reflect the club's popularity both within Kenya and around the world.
For his part, fan Peter Kimboye expressed his great happiness at the victory, stressing that what Nairobi is witnessing represents the beginning of a new phase of successes for the team.
For Arsenal fans in Nairobi, the celebration was not just an occasion to lift the trophy, but a moment to reclaim pride, end years of disappointment, and renew hope for the club's return to a new era of competition and dominance in the football arena.
