Inaugural Kenya Varsity Cup launched in a colourful Nairobi ceremony

Varsity Cup CEO Martin Hakunavanhu (right) with the ultimate cup to be won at the Varsity Cup tournament [Courtesy]

Amref International University football captain Vincent Kitavi believes they have what it takes to lift the inaugural Kenya Varsity Cup (KVC) that was launched in a colourful ceremony last night.

The eight-team competition will run from April 7 to May 23 at Kasarani Annex and Ulinzi Sports Complex stadiums in Nairobi.

“We are very ready for this football showpiece that is promising thrills and fireworks to fans and scouts at large. Our target is to win all matches, sail into the finals and ultimately be declared champions in the end,” Kitavi told Standard Sports.

Co-operative University captain John Jomo believes the tournament will grant them a chance to launch their career towards bigger platforms like the Kenyan Premier League.

KVC Chief Executive Officer Martin Hakunavanhu said the football tournament marks the beginning of a new national collegiate sports competition designed to bring together the energy, pride, and talent of universities across Kenya.

The launch event brought together representatives from participating universities, government officials, corporate partners, sports administrators, and student leaders to unveil the inaugural season of the tournament — a competition aimed at strengthening university sports culture while providing a structured and competitive environment for student-athletes.

The tournament will feature eight universities competing across two pools. Pool A comprises Zetech University, Africa International University, Multimedia University of Kenya and Catholic University of Eastern Africa

Pool B has Cooperative University of Kenya, AMREF International University, University of Nairobi and the Technical University of Kenya.

The competition will culminate in a championship match where the winning team will lift the KVC Trophy, which was also officially unveiled during the launch ceremony.

In addition to the championship trophy, the tournament will also recognise outstanding individual performances with several awards, including Golden Boot – Awarded to the tournament’s top goal scorer, Golden Glove – Awarded to the best goalkeeper and Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Awarded to the most outstanding player of the tournament.

Prize packages accompanying these awards are currently being curated with partners and sponsors supporting the competition.

A central theme of the Kenya Varsity Cup is “Mind Fiti, Game Fiti,” a philosophy emphasising the connection between mental well-being and peak athletic performance. The initiative aims to encourage conversations around mental health while promoting excellence on and off the field among university students.

Organisers highlighted that the competition is designed to go beyond traditional campus sports by connecting universities, alumni, corporate partners, and communities through a vibrant and nationally visible collegiate sporting experience.

The KVC also acknowledged the support of university leadership and sports departments that enabled access to student-athletes and supported the extensive promotional activities conducted across participating campuses in preparation for the inaugural season.

With fixtures set to begin in early April, anticipation is already building among students and supporters across the participating institutions.

“The long-term ambition of the KVC is to establish a sustainable and widely recognised collegiate sports competition that celebrates student talent while strengthening the culture of university sport across Kenya. More details on fixtures, venues, and match schedules will be released ahead of the opening round of matches,” Hakunavanhu noted.