Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and clubs have reached an agreement on the start of the 2026/27 SportPesa League season, with the new campaign set to begin on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between FKF officials and representatives of the league clubs on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 where stakeholders discussed several issues ahead of the new season.
Commenting on the success of the meeting, FKF President Hussein Mohammed said:
“I am encouraged by the spirit of collaboration and the fruitful deliberations we held. We are united in our resolve to ensure a competitive, credible, and exciting season for all the stakeholders. I wish all teams success in the upcoming campaign.” He said.
Among the key matters agreed upon was the implementation of the foreign players’ quota. Clubs will be allowed to register a maximum of seven foreign players for the new campaign, although only five will be eligible to feature in a single league match.
The arrangement provides clubs with greater flexibility in squad registration while maintaining a limit on the number of foreign players who can be fielded on match day.
The federation and clubs also reached an agreement on medical arrangements for league fixtures. Each match will be required to have two ambulances in attendance, forming part of the medical provisions agreed upon for match days.
FKF said the clubs also consented to other matters that had already been complied with during the previous season, paving the way for preparations for the 2026/27 campaign to continue.
The agreement brings clarity to the league calendar, with clubs now expected to finalize their preparations ahead of the opening round of fixtures on Saturday.
FKF welcomed the participation of the clubs in Wednesday’s meeting, saying the agreement on the outstanding issues would allow preparations for the new season to proceed as scheduled.
The 2026/27 SportPesa League will therefore get underway on Saturday, September 19, 2026, with clubs set to begin their campaigns under the agreed regulations on foreign-player registration and match-day medical requirements.
FKF’s new rules
At the same time, the federation has introduces and SportPesa League clubs have reached an agreement on several regulatory issues ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, including changes to the number of foreign players clubs can register and match-day medical requirements.
The most notable change is the introduction of a seven-player foreign quota, with clubs now allowed to register up to seven foreign players for the season.
However, the increased squad allowance comes with a restriction on match-day participation. Only five foreign players will be eligible to feature in any one league match, meaning a club could have seven foreign players on its books but must select a maximum of five for each fixture.
The arrangement gives clubs greater room to recruit from outside Kenya while maintaining a limit on the number of foreign players who can take part in an individual match.
