The stage is set for an exciting week of secondary school football as the 2026 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two Games kick off on Sunday at the M-PESA Foundation Academy in Thika, Kiambu County.
This year’s championship promises a new chapter in Kenya’s school football history, with fresh champions guaranteed in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions following the shocking elimination of the defending title holders during the qualification stages.
Reigning boys’ champions St Joseph’s Boys Kitale saw their title defence end prematurely after they were knocked out at the Trans Nzoia County Championships, while girls’ champions Butere Girls also failed to make the national finals after falling in the Western Region championships.
Their exits have thrown the race for the coveted national titles wide open, giving every qualified team the belief that they can be crowned Kenya’s next school football champions.
The five-day championship will bring together regional champions from Kenya’s eight KSSSA regions, with schools battling not only for national honours but also qualification to the FEASSSA Games, where they will represent Kenya against the best secondary school teams from across East Africa.
The boys’ competition is expected to produce fireworks from the opening day, with several mouthwatering fixtures lined up.
One of the biggest attractions will be the national debut of Nyanza champions St Mary’s School Yala, who begin their campaign against Rift Valley champions Menengai High School. Yala earned their place at the nationals after an impressive regional campaign and will be eager to prove they belong among Kenya’s football elite.
Another blockbuster encounter will see former national champions Tononoka High School renew their quest for glory against Nairobi’s Highway Secondary School. With both schools boasting rich football pedigrees, the match is expected to be among the standout fixtures of the preliminary stage.
There will also be keen interest in the return of record champions Kakamega High School, who are back at the national championships after an eight-year absence. The Western Kenya giants will be looking to revive their dominance and remind rivals why they remain one of the most successful schools in KSSSA football history.
Beyond football, the National Term Two Games will feature volleyball, netball, rugby sevens, basketball 3×3, badminton, table tennis, chess, scrabble and other racquet games, making the event one of the country’s biggest school sporting festivals.
In a first for the championships, all major disciplines will be hosted within the state-of-the-art M-PESA Foundation Academy, providing athletes with world-class competition facilities while allowing fans to enjoy multiple sporting events at one venue.
The games continue to serve as one of Kenya’s biggest talent identification platforms, with many former KSSSA stars going on to represent the country at international level and secure careers in professional sports.
Fixtures
With the defending champions out of contention, decorated former winners making a return and ambitious newcomers eager to announce themselves on the national stage, all eyes will be on Thika to see which schools seize the opportunity to write a new chapter in KSSSA football history.
