The 2026/27 SportPesa League season will kick off Saturday, September 19, after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and participating clubs reached an agreement on key issues ahead of the new campaign.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between the federation and club representatives on Wednesday, September 16, where stakeholders reviewed preparations for the new season.
The meeting also resolved outstanding matters relating to the implementation of the foreign players’ quota, the provision of ambulances during league matches and other issues that had been complied with during the previous season.
Under the agreed arrangement, clubs will be permitted to register up to seven foreign players, with a maximum of five eligible to feature in any given match.
The quota will allow clubs to maintain a sizeable pool of foreign talent while limiting the number that can take part in a league fixture.
“Each league match will also have two ambulances in attendance as part of the agreed match-day medical arrangements,” he federation said in a statement.
The medical requirement is intended to ensure that emergency response services are available during matches, with clubs and the federation having agreed on the provision as preparations for the new season continue.
FKF said the consent signed by the clubs covered the foreign players’ quota, ambulance provision and other matters that had already been complied with during the previous season.
The federation welcomed the clubs’ participation in the meeting and the agreement reached on the key issues.
“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,” it said.
The agreement clears the way for clubs to complete their preparations for the opening round of matches on Saturday.
FKF said it looked forward to the start of the new season, with the federation and clubs now working towards the opening fixtures.
The decision comes ahead of a campaign in which clubs will be expected to comply with the agreed regulations on foreign players and match-day medical arrangements.
The federation did not provide details of the individual fixtures in its statement but confirmed that the season would begin on September 19.
The SportPesa League is among Kenya’s top domestic football competitions, bringing together clubs competing for the league title and other honours.
The league was initially scheduled to kick off on the weekend of August 29-30 but court battles prevented this from happening.
It had earlier been fixed for August 22 but was pushed back to August 29 before failing to get underway following a series of court injunctions linked to the regulations governing the competition.
The announcement follows a court ruling issued on August 28, 2026, by Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony at the Murang’a High Court, which cleared FKF to commence the new league season under the 2019 FKF Rules and Regulations.
The court clarified that the controversial 2025 rules remained suspended owing to an active legal challenge, but FKF was permitted to run the Premier League using the 2019 regulations.
The new season is expected to provide a platform for local players to compete alongside foreign talent, while clubs seek to improve their performances and challenge for domestic success.
FKF said the Wednesday meeting had reviewed key matters ahead of the new season and that the agreement reached would allow preparations to proceed as scheduled.
The federation also thanked the clubs for their participation and cooperation in reaching the consent.
The opening round of matches will mark the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign, with clubs now set to turn their attention to competition after the pre-season discussions.
FKF reiterated its readiness for the new season and its expectation that the opening fixtures would take place on Saturday, September 19.
