Kenyan football has finally moved closer to putting weeks of uncertainty behind it, with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and SportPesa League clubs agreeing to resume the 2026/27 season on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between the federation and club representatives on Wednesday, September 16, and formally endorsed and signed by representatives of the league clubs and members of the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC). The deal clears some of the key issues that had complicated preparations for the new campaign and gives clubs a definite date to work towards.
Among the most significant issues resolved is the foreign-player quota, which had become one of the biggest challenges following the legal and regulatory dispute that disrupted the planned start of the season.
Under the new agreement, every club will be allowed to register up to seven foreign players, with a maximum of five foreign players eligible to feature in any one league match. The arrangement effectively addresses the dilemma facing clubs that had already recruited more than five foreign players while preparing for the season.
The agreement also provides for two ambulances at every league match, settling another match-day requirement that had featured in discussions between FKF and the clubs.
The development comes after a turbulent build-up to the new season, which was initially scheduled to begin on August 29–30 before being postponed at the final hour. FKF subsequently pushed the opening fixtures to between August 31 and September 2, but those plans were also abandoned as legal and administrative questions continued to surround the competition.
At the centre of the dispute was the application of two different sets of FKF regulations. The 2019 rules provide for three promotion/relegation movements involving a playoff, with the 16th-placed Premier League team facing the third-placed NSL side. The 2025 rules, which FKF had applied, removed the playoff and introduced three automatic promotions and three automatic relegations.
The disagreement triggered legal proceedings, including the Kariobangi Sharks case over relegation, while the High Court in Murang’a became central to the question of whether FKF could proceed with preparations for the new season.
The court eventually gave FKF the green light to commence the campaign under the 2019 rules, creating further uncertainty over the final composition of the league and leaving clubs to navigate the consequences of the conflicting regulations.
The latest agreement now provides a practical resolution to some of the immediate operational challenges, particularly player registration. It also comes at a crucial time for clubs that have continued training and incurring costs without knowing when competitive football would resume.
The delay has already affected the rhythm of the domestic game, with players missing competitive matches and clubs having to repeatedly adjust their preparations. The disruption has also raised concerns over the broader football ecosystem, including commercial partners, broadcasting arrangements and Kenya’s preparations towards hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
With the agreement now signed and September 19 confirmed, attention shifts to the final preparations for the opening round.
Full round 1 fixture
