The federation is expected to return to the drawing board as the legal battles over the league’s composition and the disputed promotion and relegation play-off continue, with parties scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 21.
FKF indefinitely postponed the opening-round matches after the Murang’a High Court barred the federation from proceeding with Round One or any subsequent round until a play-off between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United is concluded.
The situation was further complicated on Saturday morning when the Kiambu High Court ordered FKF to publish provisional revised fixtures including Mombasa United as the 18th club and permit the side to participate in the 2026/27 SportPesa Premier League, subject to other FKF requirements.
The competing orders left the federation with little room to proceed with the scheduled fixtures without exposing itself, its officials and clubs to further legal consequences.
“With the league scheduled to commence on September 19, 2026, and the various court orders issued, the federation was left with no other option but to postpone the commencement on account of the risk it would have on the federation, its officials and clubs…”
The latest crisis follows FKF’s decision to set September 19 as the opening date after relying on earlier directions from the Murang’a High Court in Evans Nduta vs FKF.
“On the 28th August 2026, the High Court in Murang’a in Evans Nduta vs FKF issued directions to the effect that the Federation would commence the 2026/2027 league as scheduled on 29th August 2026.”
FKF subsequently circulated the fixtures, but the legal challenges intensified as the kick-off date approached. Kariobangi Sharks filed an application at the Milimani High Court Tribunal Appeals on September 16 seeking to stop the league from starting on September 19. The court declined to issue an injunction ex parte and directed the parties to appear on September 21.
“Application dated 16th September 2026- Kariobangi Sharks vs FKF & Andrew Leif & Another in Milimani High Court Tribunal Appeals No. E081 of 2026 specifically seeking prayers to stop the commencement of the league on September 19, 2026. The court declined to issue the injunctive orders ex parte and ordered parties to appear on the 21st September 2026.”
A day later, however, the Murang’a High Court issued a temporary injunction stopping FKF from proceeding with the league until it conducts the play-off mandated under Rule 2.9.1.
The play-off involves Kariobangi Sharks, the third-lowest-placed club in the 2025/26 Kenya Premier League, and Mombasa United, the third-highest placed club not gaining automatic promotion from the 2025/26 National Super League.
“A similar application was filed on the September 17, 2026 in Murang’a High Court Petition Evans Nduta vs FKF wherein the court issued a temporary injunction against FKF, its officers, servants, agents, members or any other person acting on its direction, from proceeding with, playing, or giving effect to the results of Round One, or any subsequent round, of the 2026/2027 Kenya Premier League season, until the Respondent has conducted the play-off competition mandated by Rule 2.9.1 between Kariobangi Sharks FC (third-lowest placed club, 2025/2026 Kenya Premier League) and Mombasa United FC (third-highest placed club not gaining automatic promotion, 2025/2026 National Super League).”
The Kiambu order then introduced another complication on the morning of the scheduled kick-off.
“In addition, on the 19th September 2026, the Federation was served with an application and petition in Centre for Litigation vs FKF in the Kiambu High Court, which court granted a temporary order to the effect that FKF publishes provisional revised fixtures to include Mombasa United Football Club as the eighteenth club and permit Mombasa United Football Club to participate in the 2026/2027 SportPesa Premier League subject to other requirements of the FKF.”
FKF said proceeding with the matches despite the Murang’a order could expose the federation and participating clubs to further legal problems, including the possibility of subsequent results being nullified. The federation also expressed reservations over the court cases, while maintaining that it respects the judiciary and the rule of law.
“Whereas FKF respects the courts and the rule of law, it expresses its reservations on the decisions made in these matters, which shows a systematic abuse of the judicial processes to frustrate and sabotage the growth of football in Kenya against the spirit of FIFA Statutes on third party interference.”
As FKF weighs its next steps, clubs remain without a new date for the start of the season. “The Federation remains committed to ensuring the league commences at the earliest time possible and remains optimistic that it will overcome the hurdles that remain a great impediment to the development of football in Kenya.”
