FKF Premier League Impasse Ends as Kariobangi Sharks, Mombasa United Agree to Playoff

The dispute that has stalled the start of the 2026/27 FKF SportPesa Premier League has finally broken, with Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United agreeing to settle their battle for a top-flight place through a two-legged playoff.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF), led by President Hussein Mohammed, brought the two clubs together for mediation on Thursday, September 24, ending weeks of uncertainty that had left players training, sponsors waiting and supporters wondering when the new season would begin.

Under the agreement, Mombasa United will host Kariobangi Sharks in the first leg on Thursday, October 1, before the return fixture in Nairobi on Tuesday, October 6.

Both clubs will also be allowed to field their newly registered players, resolving one of the issues that had complicated efforts to reach a settlement.

At stake is a place in Kenya's top flight.

Mombasa United finished third in last season's National Super League and went to court seeking automatic promotion, while Kariobangi Sharks finished 16th in the Premier League and faced the prospect of relegation.

The dispute eventually spilled into the courts and disrupted FKF's plans to begin the new season on September 19.

A High Court order in Murang'a barred FKF from starting the league before the playoff dispute was resolved, while another court order in Kiambu directed the federation to include Mombasa United as the 18th Premier League team and publish fixtures.

Faced with competing legal developments and an increasingly uncertain start to the season, FKF turned to mediation.

In a statement following the talks, the federation confirmed that the two clubs had reached an agreement.

“Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirms that Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United have agreed to play a two-legged playoff following a mediation process initiated and led by the Federation on Thursday, 24 September 2026,” FKF said.

The federation commended both clubs for what it described as their professionalism and constructive engagement during the talks.

“FKF commends both clubs for their professionalism and constructive engagement throughout the mediation process, which has resulted in an agreed way forward,” it added.

Mombasa United: This is not surrender

Mombasa United later issued its own statement, making clear that accepting the playoff did not mean abandoning its claim that it deserved promotion.

“There are moments in the life of a club when the greater victory is not simply proving that you are right, but protecting the game you love,” the club said.

“Mombasa United FC remains fully convinced of the legitimacy of our position and the sporting journey that brought us to this point.”

The club said it had nevertheless accepted the playoff in the wider interests of Kenyan football, its players, supporters and the people of Mombasa.

“This decision is not a surrender, nor is it an admission that our position was wrong. It is a sacrifice made to end an impasse that has kept football away from where it truly belongs,” the club said.

The agreement now shifts a dispute that had been fought through court orders, legal arguments and public statements back to the pitch.

For Kariobangi Sharks, the two matches offer an opportunity to preserve their Premier League status.

For Mombasa United, they provide an opportunity to secure on the field the top-flight place the club has been pursuing through the courts.

The settlement should also clear a major obstacle to the start of the delayed 2026/27 Premier League season, although FKF will need to communicate how the playoff affects the revised league calendar and fixtures.

After weeks of uncertainty, the final answer will now be decided over two matches — in Mombasa on October 1 and Nairobi on October 6.