FKF clears path for SportPesa League kick-off

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Hussein Muhamed chair a meeting between FKF and club representatives on September 16, 2026. [Courtesy]

Kenyan football fans can finally look forward to the return of  top-flight football after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and participating clubs reached an agreement clearing the way for the 2026/27 SportPesa League season to begin on Saturday, September 19.

The agreement, reached during a meeting between FKF and club representatives on Wednesday, resolved key disputes surrounding the registration of foreign players and medical arrangements at league matches.

Under the new arrangement, each club will be permitted to register up to seven foreign players, although only five will be eligible for selection in any individual league match.

The clubs and FKF also agreed that every league fixture will have two ambulances available to provide emergency medical support.

“The clubs also signed a consent on the implementation of the foreign players' quota, the provision of ambulances during league matches, as well as other matters that had already been complied with during the previous season,” FKF said in a statement.

The agreement ends weeks of uncertainty that had threatened to delay the start of the new campaign.

FKF had initially planned to begin the season on August 22 before moving the date to August 29. That date also passed without competitive action as legal and administrative disputes remained unresolved.

At the heart of the standoff was the relegation of Kariobangi Sharks after the club finished 16th in the previous campaign.

Sharks challenged FKF’s decision to apply the 2025 Promotion and Relegation Regulations, arguing that the earlier 2019 regulations should govern the competition. The club sought an opportunity to retain its top-flight status through a playoff.

The dispute moved through the Sports Disputes Tribunal and subsequently the High Court, complicating preparations for the new season.

A ruling issued on August 28, 2026, by Murang’a High Court Judge Dorah Chepkwony allowed FKF to proceed with the league under the 2019 FKF Rules and Regulations, while the controversial 2025 regulations remained suspended pending the ongoing legal challenge.

Despite the latest agreement allowing the league to start, the Kariobangi Sharks matter remains before the courts, leaving an important legal issue unresolved even as clubs return their attention to the pitch.

The foreign-player quota was another contentious issue as clubs and FKF sought a balance between allowing teams to attract international talent and creating opportunities for Kenyan footballers.

The agreed limit allows clubs to maintain a pool of seven foreign players while restricting match-day participation to five.

Medical preparedness also emerged as a key concern, with the requirement for two ambulances at every league fixture aimed at strengthening emergency response during matches.

The measures will now form part of the operational framework clubs are expected to observe during the 2026/27 season.

FKF welcomed the participation of clubs in resolving the outstanding matters and said the agreement had restored certainty around preparations.

“FKF appreciates the clubs’ participation in the meeting and the agreement reached on the key matters, which allows preparations for the new season to proceed as scheduled,” the federation said.