Reviewed by Peris WambuKenya sports betting writer
Published 2 September 2026
Football Kenya Federation has postponed every Premier League opening round match that was set for 31 August to 2 September, so the season Kenyan fans were told would start on 29 August still has not begun.
The federation said the delay would let FKF, the clubs and the league sponsors deliberate and give direction on the 2026/27 campaign. No replacement dates were published with the announcement.
The case that is holding the season up
Kariobangi Sharks went to court over their relegation under the federation’s 2025 promotion and relegation regulations, which raised automatic relegation from two clubs to three and removed the playoff. The Sports Disputes Tribunal ruled on 10 August. Sharks appealed to the High Court at Milimani, and Justice Janet Mulwa declined the federation’s urgent application and ordered that the position as it stood on 10 August be maintained.
That order freezes the composition of the league. Until it is lifted, nobody can say with certainty which clubs make up the division, which is why a fixture list that named 3K FC, Mara Sugar, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards could be issued and then pulled inside a week. The federation also argues that appeals against tribunal decisions belong at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland rather than in a Kenyan court. Directions on that question are set for 21 September.
What it costs a bettor
Kenyan football is the local card that the weekly jackpots are built around, and there is no local card. Bettors who follow the FKF Premier League are left with foreign fixtures or with the county and lower division football that the books price thinly, and clubs are training without knowing when they will play.
Any market on a Kenyan league fixture between now and the ruling should be treated as provisional. A postponed match is voided by most books, but the rules on how long a fixture can be moved before a bet stands differ from one operator to the next, so read the postponement clause rather than assuming.
Where to bet: FKF Premier League markets are open on SportPesa and Betika, both licensed in Kenya, where the Gambling Regulatory Authority took over from the Betting Control and Licensing Board in 2025. Prices are in KES on match result, both teams to score and total goals, alongside the weekly jackpots built around the local card, and both books fund by M-Pesa. With the season on hold, check each operator’s postponement and void rules before you stake on a Kenyan fixture. Our guide to the best betting sites in Kenya covers withdrawal times and licensing, and there is more in Kenya soccer news from AXN Sports. 18+. Gamble responsibly.
