Kenya’s Ice Lions: How ice hockey found a home on the Equator 

In the heart of East Africa, where golden savannas stretch under the blazing sun, a surprising passion for one of the world’s coldest sports has taken root.

Here, just 100 metres from Nairobi National Park, where lions, giraffes and zebras roam freely, a dream was born: the formation of Kenya's only ice hockey team, the Ice Lions, skating on the country's only ice rink.

At the core of this story is Robert Ouko Opiyo, chairman of the Kenya Federation of Ice Sports (KEFIS). Although KEFIS was officially established in 2019, Kenya’s journey into ice hockey reaches back nearly two decades.

On 31 October 2024, Kenya celebrated a new milestone as it became the latest member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), joining Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia as Africa’s fifth ice hockey nation.

“This is a historic moment for the sport in Kenya,” Opiyo remarked. “We are grateful for the worldwide support that helped us achieve this dream. It’s just the beginning of making ice hockey accessible to more Kenyans,” he told the IIHF.

From the first curious glides of skates on the country’s only ice rink in 2006 to the Madaraka Day Cup — Kenya’s first international ice hockey tournament — Olympics.com takes a deeper look into Kenya’s ice hockey journey, from hobby sport to source of national pride.

Humble beginnings: An ice rink in Nairobi

Imagine a scene in 2006: a group of skaters, donning secondhand skates, laces up for a Wednesday night pickup game under the cool glow of the rink’s lights.

This story began one year earlier at Nairobi’s Panari Sky Centre, where, in 2005, the Solar Ice Rink opened its doors, introducing Kenya to ice skating. Tucked inside the Panari Hotel, this modest 32 by 12-metre rink, a third the size of regulation rinks, sits strikingly close to Nairobi National Park, where wild animals wander against a backdrop of city lights.

For its first year, the rink attracted curious recreational skaters. Then, in 2006, a group of Canadians brought their hockey gear to Panari and introduced Kenya to the thrill of the sport.

Over the next decade, a small but dedicated community emerged, driven by locals and expatriates, eventually giving rise to Kenya’s first hockey team: the Ice Lions. Named in tribute to the park’s lions, this team, and this rink, became the birthplace of Kenyan ice hockey.

“Most of us had never seen an ice rink before, let alone hockey,” recalled early Ice Lions’ player, Benard Azegere.

As Kenya’s sole team and with the nearest rink over 2,900 kilometres away in South Africa, they had yet to face any competition outside their own ranks.

However, that would soon change, as a perfect storm of events and media exposure in 2018 thrust them into the global spotlight.

The viral moment: The Away Game

In early 2018, Canada’s iconic coffee chain, Tim Hortons — known for its love of hockey — extended an offer that would transform the Ice Lions' future.

Tim Hortons invited the team to Canada, the home of the sport, where they would experience ice hockey in a full-sized rink for the first time.

When they arrived, new jerseys emblazoned with the Kenyan flag awaited them, along with two unexpected teammates: Canadian hockey legends Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon. Dressed in Kenyan jerseys, the stars joined the Ice Lions in a friendly game against Canada.

Azegere recalled, “Seeing my favourite player walk through the door wearing our jersey, it felt like a dream.”

The heartwarming video of their journey, The Away Game, quickly went viral, resonating with millions and highlighting the unity, resilience, and joy in this unexpected love for hockey.

For the Ice Lions, the experience was transformative. Playing on a standard rink in a country where ice hockey was as ubiquitous as the coffee Tim Hortons served, it wasn’t just the game; it was the community, the support, and the opportunity that left an indelible mark on the team.

“It was a dream to not only have the chance to play in Canada, but to play – for the first time – in full gear alongside two of the greatest players of the game,” Azegere said.

Back home, the video, along with coverage of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, sparked local curiosity and created fertile ground for the sport’s growth in Kenya.

The Madaraka Day Cup: Inviting the world to Nairobi

By 2019, that dream officially became a mission, as KEFIS was established with a clear plan to expand the game and make it accessible across Kenya.

But their trip to Canada gave the Ice Lions another goal: establishing an international ice hockey tournament on Kenyan soil. That same year, they made that dream a reality by hosting the first-ever Madaraka Day Cup, named after the holiday commemorating Kenya’s self-governance.

The tournament invited teams from embassies and NGOs in Nairobi to compete, transforming the Panari rink into a lively, multicultural hub. Team Kenya played against squads from the United States, Canada and Europe, drawing a crowd of locals, expatriates, and international journalists — a first for Kenyan hockey.

“So, for the first time, we actually saw many fans and especially Kenyans. It felt like being at a Kenya rugby game, but now they were at an ice rink instead,” he joked.

Looking forward: grassroots and growth

Despite its momentum, ice hockey in Kenya faces challenges. With only one small rink, the Ice Lions are limited to 3-on-3 games, and training on regulation-sized rinks is only possible abroad. Nonetheless, Kenya’s recent membership in the IIHF has inspired KEFIS and the Ice Lions to continue focusing on grassroots development, aiming to introduce the sport in schools and cultivate young talent.

Currently, the senior team includes 24 men and 12 women, while youth programmes draw in over 50 boys and girls from Nairobi. The Ice Lions also partner with organisations like the Howe Friendship League, which supports the team by selling jerseys and raising awareness. Funds from these partnerships help provide much-needed equipment and training, bridging the gap between Kenya’s hockey dreams and their reality.

But for Opiyo and the Ice Lions, these efforts are about far more than just building a team.

“When we step onto the ice, we’re representing more than just ourselves; we’re showing the world that hockey has a place in Kenya,” Opiyo said.

Opiyo dreams even bigger. With IIHF support, he envisions Kenya competing in African tournaments and, one day, on the world stage. “We’re just getting started,” he said, determinedly.

A dream on ice

For the Ice Lions, their journey has only just begun. Each puck drop, each practice, is a step closer to their ultimate goal: to grow the sport, inspire a new generation, and represent Kenya in international ice hockey.

As Nairobi’s sun dips below the horizon, casting warm light across the rink at the Panari, the Ice Lions lace up their skates, their hearts set on proving that passion knows no borders, no climates, and no limits.

In the words of Alex Frecon, an American player who travelled to Nairobi to play with the Ice Lions, “If there’s one thing hockey in Kenya has taught me, it’s that you can do it. Whatever ‘it’ is.”