Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has defended the federation’s decision to postpone the 2026/27 top-flight league kick-off, saying conflicting court orders presented legal and commercial risks to clubs, players, sponsors and broadcasters.
Mohammed said the federation was forced to suspend the scheduled September 19 kick-off after receiving conflicting orders on the eve of the new season, making it difficult to proceed with the competition without exposing stakeholders to possible legal consequences.
“I want to directly and honestly address the issues that have permeated conversation across the country, which is the postponement of the 2026-2027 SportPesa League kick-off,” Mohammed said.
He said the decision was made after consultations with legal counsel, clubs and other affected stakeholders, with the federation now working towards finding a lawful and practical resolution.
Mohammed said the dispute had initially been heard by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT), where a decision was made on promotion, relegation and the application of the relevant rules before the matter was appealed at the High Court.
He said subsequent court orders had further complicated preparations for the new season.
The FKF president called for football disputes to be handled through established football dispute-resolution mechanisms, saying repeated and conflicting legal interventions could cause financial and reputational damage to clubs and other stakeholders.
“Football disputes resolution must balance legal rights with the stability required to run a functional national league,” he said.
Mohammed said the postponement was particularly unfortunate because the new season had been projected to be among the most commercially lucrative domestic campaigns in Kenyan football.
He said the federation had secured a Sh1.1 billion television sponsorship package, in addition to a broadcast agreement that would provide about Sh129 million in grants to clubs, translating to approximately Sh7.21 million annually for each club in the top flight.
He added that the federation had also introduced a Sh20 million prize package for the league.
Despite the disruption, Mohammed said FKF had made significant progress in developing football at various levels since the current administration took office.
He cited the Junior Starlets’ qualification for their second FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the Under-15 girls’ silver medal at a recently concluded sports championship and preparations by the Under-15 boys for the Under-15 World Cup festival in Azerbaijan.
Mohammed said FKF had deployed more than 1,000 grassroots scouts across the country as part of efforts to identify and nurture young talent.
He said Kenya had also hosted the FIFA Women’s Series, becoming one of four countries globally to host the inaugural event.
On women’s football, Mohammed said FKF had completed a comprehensive strategy that was awaiting official launch, while coaching and capacity-building programmes were being aligned with Confederation of African Football (CAF) coaching conventions.
He said the federation was also strengthening partnerships with institutions, including the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association and Kabarak University, through a framework aimed at integrating youth sports and education.
Mohammed said discussions with the Council of Governors were also ongoing to enhance grassroots football development at county level.
He said the federation had made progress in addressing financial obligations, noting that match officials had entered the new season without outstanding provincial arrears from the previous campaign.
According to Mohammed, Kenya was no longer under FIFA restrictions or sanctions, which he attributed to the federation’s focus on fiscal discipline and financial accountability.
He said FKF was also working to improve the institution’s image and working environment through renovations of its offices and provision of equipment and resources to branches.
“We are also on a journey to restore the dignity of FKF, the institution that runs the sport that we all love,” he said.
Mohammed dismissed claims that football activities had stalled across the country, saying FKF would continue strengthening its branches and grassroots competitions.
He appealed to the Judiciary to take into account the unique regulatory framework governing football when handling disputes involving the sport.
The FKF president said the federation would continue engaging all affected parties to find a solution that complies with court orders and FKF regulations, while protecting the interests of clubs, players and other stakeholders.
He also warned against actions that could undermine the development of Kenyan football, saying the federation remained committed to implementing its reform and development agenda.