Kariobangi Sharks, Mombasa United End Promotion-Relegation Dispute
The 2018 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup champions Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United have agreed to play a two-legged Kenyan Premier League promotion-relegation playoff after mediation led by the federation.
As per the arrangement, Mombasa United, who finished third in last season’s National Super League (NSL), are set to host the first leg on Thursday, 1 October, with Sharks, 16th-place finishers in the FKF Premier League, hosting the return leg on Tuesday, 6 October.
The agreement reached on Thursday, September 24th, 2026 provides a way forward in the dispute that had contributed to the indefinite postponement of the 2026-27 SportPesa League season.
FKF said the agreement followed an urgent consultative process involving club representatives as the federation sought to resolve the legal deadlock surrounding the composition of the top flight.
“The Federation 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 in a statement.
Mombasa United, following the conclusion to their NSL season, expected to be one of the three promoted teams to the top-tier, going by the 2025 FKF Rules and Regulations, they operated under.
Their automatic promotion was, however, stopped on its tracks, following an objection by Kariobangi Sharks, who by virtue of the 2019 FKF Rules and Regulations, believed their 16th place in the FKF Premier League resulted into a relegation-promotion playoff, but not automatic relegation.
The dispute arose from conflicting court orders over the promotion and relegation framework to be applied for the new season.
The 2019 regulations provide for automatic relegation of the bottom two Premier League teams, while the team finishing 16th plays a promotion-relegation playoff against the third-placed National Super League side.
The 2025 regulations introduced a different framework, providing for the automatic promotion and relegation of three teams and abolishing the playoff system.
Application of the revised regulations led to the relegation of Kariobangi Sharks, prompting the club to challenge the decision in court.
The High Court in Murang'a subsequently directed that the league should not begin until a promotion-relegation playoff between Sharks and Mombasa United was conducted.
A separate High Court case in Kiambu resulted in conservatory orders directing FKF to provisionally publish revised fixtures including Mombasa United as the 18th top-flight team without a playoff.
The conflicting orders forced FKF to postpone the league, which had been scheduled to begin on September 19.
FKF had said proceeding with the fixtures while the court orders remained in place could expose the federation and clubs to legal risks, including the possibility of match results being nullified.
Following Thursday's mediation, FKF commended both clubs for their engagement and agreement on a way forward.
“The Federation wishes both Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United the very best in the two matches and appreciates their commitment to resolving the matter through dialogue and in the interests of the game," it said.