Football Kenya Federation is facing continued uncertainty over the start of the 2026/27 SportPesa Premier League after legal disputes over the composition of the league forced the postponement of the opening round.
The new season had been scheduled to begin on September 19, but FKF indefinitely postponed the opening matches following court orders connected to a dispute involving promotion, relegation and the composition of the 18-team league.
The latest developments were reported on September 21 as the federation considered its next steps.At the centre of the dispute is the proposed play-off between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United.
The play-off is linked to Rule 2.9.1 of the FKF regulations and could determine the final composition of the league.
Kariobangi Sharks, who finished third from bottom in the 2025/26 Premier League season, are involved in the dispute with Mombasa United, who finished third among the National Super League clubs that did not gain automatic promotion.
A court order directed FKF to conduct the play-off before proceeding with the new league season.
The situation became more complicated after another court order directed FKF to publish provisional revised fixtures that would include Mombasa United as the 18th club.
The federation subsequently faced competing legal directions concerning whether the league could proceed with the scheduled fixtures.
FKF said going ahead with matches while the court orders remained in place could expose the federation and participating clubs to further legal problems.
There were also concerns that matches played in breach of the orders could later face challenges over their validity.
FKF president Hussein Mohamed said the federation had begun consultations with clubs following the postponement.
He said the federation would continue engaging the clubs as it sought a way forward for the new season.
The delayed start has left clubs without a clear new opening date.
Players and technical teams who had been preparing for the September 19 kick-off must now wait for the federation to resolve the legal and administrative issues surrounding the competition.
The situation is also significant for Kenyan football because the Premier League is the country’s top domestic competition and provides the main platform for clubs, players and coaches to compete throughout the season.
A prolonged delay could therefore affect preparations and planning for the clubs involved.
FKF has maintained that it wants the league to begin as soon as possible while also respecting the court process.
The federation has said it remains committed to finding a solution to the issues surrounding the competition and starting the season once the legal hurdles have been addressed.
