Tusker midfielder Chrispine Erambo with FKF president Hussein Mohammed at the Nyayo Stadium/HANDOUT
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has called an urgent stakeholders’ meeting for Monday as it seeks to resolve the crisis that forced the postponement of the opening round of the 2026/27 SportPesa League.
FKF officials, club chief executive officers and representatives of title sponsor SportPesa are expected to attend the meeting amid growing disagreement over the rules and management of the new season.
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The federation on Sunday postponed all Round One matches scheduled for Monday to Wednesday, September 2, after at least 12 top-flight clubs threatened to boycott the opening fixtures.
The clubs have raised concerns over the competition regulations, the short notice for the matches and the lack of clarity following recent court decisions affecting the league.
FKF’s Leagues and Competitions Department said the postponement would give the federation, clubs and sponsor time to agree on the way forward.
“This is so as to allow for deliberations between the Federation, participating Clubs and the League sponsors that will provide direction and guidance on the management of the League for the upcoming Season,” FKF said.
The federation said revised fixtures would be communicated “within the shortest time possible” after the consultations.
At the centre of the dispute is the question of which regulations should govern the 2026/27 campaign.
A recent ruling by the High Court in Murang’a directed FKF to temporarily operate the league under the 2019 FKF Rules and Regulations, despite clubs having prepared for the season under the 2025 regulations.
The difference has immediate implications for squad registration. Under the 2019 framework, clubs are limited to five foreign players, compared with seven under the 2025 regulations.
Several teams had recruited players expecting the newer rules to apply this season.
Promotion and relegation have also become a major point of contention.
The 2019 regulations provide for the bottom two Premier League teams to be relegated automatically, while the team finishing 16th faces the third-placed NSL side in a promotion-relegation playoff.
The 2025 regulations scrapped that playoff and provided for three automatic relegations from the Premier League and three automatic promotions from the NSL.
Kariobangi Sharks, who finished 16th last season, have challenged their relegation under the revised regulations, triggering a legal battle that has complicated preparations for the new campaign.
Despite the uncertainty, FKF’s National Executive Committee met on Sunday morning and considered further changes to the structure of Kenyan football.
The NEC resolved to retain three automatic relegations and three automatic promotions, effectively scrapping the promotion-relegation playoff.
It also approved plans to expand the FKF Division One League from 32 to 64 teams next season.
A proposal to merge Division Two with the Regional League was also tabled and will be subjected to public participation before a final decision is made.
The resolutions are expected to feature prominently in Monday’s discussions as FKF attempts to reconcile its proposed reforms with the court directives and concerns raised by clubs.
The postponement has also created problems for teams involved in continental football.
Gor Mahia, for example, are preparing for their CAF campaign while facing uncertainty over their domestic schedule.
Gor Mahia secretary general Nick Arum said the club’s immediate focus was its continental assignment.
“At the moment the focus is our match against Pyramids in the Caf Confederation Cup. We have already budgeted for CAF Champions League and invested a great deal in the tournament. Where will the money to host,” Arum said.
The uncertainty could also disrupt the wider football calendar, with clubs having already completed their pre-season programmes and made financial commitments based on the original start date.
The new campaign is expected to operate under SportPesa’s reported 10-year title partnership, with the prize pool increased to Sh20 million, including Sh15 million for the champions.
For the clubs, however, clarity over the regulations remains the immediate priority.
FKF said it would communicate a revised fixture programme after the stakeholder consultations.
“The Federation remains committed to ensuring that the League is managed in a manner that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders,” the federation said.
The outcome of Monday’s meeting could determine when the delayed 2026/27 SportPesa Premier League gets under way and how the competing regulatory positions will be handled.
For now, clubs remain on standby as FKF works to find a solution to a dispute that has already delayed the start of the new season.
