National team player Blessings Viyanzi/ HANDOUTKenya is among 14 countries competing at the 2026 Africa AirBadminton Championships in Entebbe, Uganda.
The event is being used as a yardstick for the 2029 World Games in Karlsruhe, Germany and the top two teams will get the tickets. The continental championship, set for September 17-19 at Aero Beach, has attracted more than 120 competitors, to underline the growing popularity of the outdoor version of badminton on the continent.
Badminton Kenya president Peter Muchiri said the federation had prepared the team with the immediate objective of finishing among the top two nations. “We have managed to send six of our best athletes, three ladies and three men, to Entebbe,” Muchiri said in Nairobi on Wednesday. “I know they will do well and qualify for the World Games in Germany because, with the support of the Ministry of Sports, we have prepared well.”
AirBadminton will make its World Games debut at Karlsruhe 2029, adding significance to the Entebbe championships for African countries seeking a place in the inaugural competition. The games are scheduled for July 19-29, 2029.
Kenya’s men’s team comprises Edwin Akwanyi, Sammy Sikoyo and Calvin Simiyu, while Jacinta Sengera, Yvonne Mwikali and Buyanzi Blessing make up the women’s contingent. UK-trained tactician Brijesh Jagdish Sonigra is the head coach, with John Mburu serving as team manager.
Kenya faces a strong field that includes defending champions Egypt and hosts Uganda, alongside Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The championship has continued to expand since its inaugural edition in Mauritius, which attracted six countries, followed by 11 in Ghana and 14 this year in Uganda.
The choice of Aero Beach underlines the outdoor nature of badminton, which was developed by the Badminton World Federation to take the sport beyond conventional indoor courts. It can be played on sand, grass and hard outdoor surfaces using the specially designed AirShuttle.
Uganda will hope to use home advantage to challenge for the title after winning the African championship in 2024 before Egypt claimed the subsequent edition in Ghana.
Kenya will remain in Entebbe for the Zone Five Regional Championships from September 20-22, giving the players another competitive assignment.
Muchiri’s team, however, hope to convert their preparation into a top-two finish and maintain Kenya’s hopes of featuring in AirBadminton’s World Games debut in 2029.
