Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has postponed the start of the 2026/27 Premier League yet again, hours before the opening matches were scheduled to kick off on Saturday, September 19.
The federation communicated the decision to clubs late Friday after a series of court orders created uncertainty over the composition of the league and whether the opening fixtures could legally proceed.
FKF had settled on September 19 as the new start date after the initial postponement of the season.
However, fresh legal action involving Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United has now forced the federation to call off the opening round until further notice.
The latest development marks the second major disruption to the start of the new season, with clubs once again left without a confirmed kickoff date.
The immediate problem is a dispute over the 18th team in the Premier League and the rules governing promotion and relegation.
Kariobangi Sharks finished 16th in the 2025/26 Premier League, a position that placed them in the relegation picture under FKF’s newer regulations. Mombasa United, meanwhile, finished third in the National Super League and were expected to gain promotion.
The dispute centres on which FKF regulations should apply.
Under the 2019 FKF Premier League rules, the team finishing 16th in the top flight faces a promotion-relegation playoff against the third-placed NSL team. That would put Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United against each other for a place in the Premier League.
The 2025 regulations abolished the playoff, instead providing for automatic relegation of the bottom three Premier League teams and automatic promotion of the top three NSL sides.
Under those rules, Sharks would be relegated while Mombasa United would gain automatic promotion.
The disagreement has since moved to the courts.
On September 17, the High Court in Murang’a issued a temporary injunction stopping FKF from proceeding with Premier League matches until it conducts a promotion-relegation playoff between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United.
The order also barred FKF from giving effect to results from the opening round or subsequent rounds before the playoff is conducted. That created a direct problem for the federation because the first round was scheduled to begin on September 19.
Another court order then complicated matters further.
The High Court in Kiambu directed FKF to publish provisional revised fixtures including Mombasa United as the 18th team and allow the club to participate in the 2026/27 Premier League, subject to FKF requirements. The Kiambu case is scheduled for an inter-partes hearing on September 29.
The two orders left FKF facing competing legal directions just hours before the scheduled kickoff.
In a statement issued after the postponement, FKF said the federation had no practical option but to stop the opening round because proceeding could expose clubs, officials and the federation to legal consequences.
“With the league scheduled to commence on the 19th September 2026, and the various court orders issued, the Federation was left with no other option but to postpone the commencement,” FKF said.
The federation said it was particularly concerned about the possibility of match results being nullified if clubs proceeded despite the Murang’a order.
FKF also said it respected the courts and the rule of law but expressed reservations about the legal challenges affecting the league.
“The Federation respects the courts and the rule of law,” FKF said, while arguing that the legal actions were frustrating the development of football in Kenya.
The latest postponement came after clubs had already prepared for the September 19 opening weekend.
Several teams had travelled ahead of their scheduled matches, while broadcasters and sponsors had also made arrangements for the opening fixtures.
Eight matches had been scheduled across six venues over Saturday and Sunday, including the much-anticipated fixtures involving Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and other top-flight clubs.
Posta Rangers, who were scheduled to host Shabana, confirmed that the fixture had been postponed after FKF communicated the decision.
The repeated changes have also created logistical and financial challenges for clubs that have had to prepare for matches that ultimately do not take place.
Tusker captain Abud Omar also criticized the uncertainty surrounding the domestic league, saying the repeated disruptions were affecting Kenyan football.
“And with Kenya preparing to co-host AFCON next year, this is really worrying. We need to get serious about our football,” Omar said.
