As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we recognize the greatest efforts of women in football.
Through the SportPesa league, we celebrate those women who have been shaping the world of football. This is through the program shining a light, which celebrates women who make the matchday happen.
International Women’s Day, SportPesa showed that football is not just a man’s world behind the scenes.
By profiling big players like Lavina Happy Aunda, Tabitha Njoroge, and Evelyn Awour, it reflects on women shaping the SportPesa League. These women are celebrated by many as SportPesa continues shining a light as they encourage other women in the football world.
The eye behind the lens
Documenting the raw action, emotion, and intensity of the game has been a gamechanger in football.
This helps preserve the memories and histories made on the pitch by players, which will be used for future reference.
This has been widely known as a man’s job, as it has a lot of pressure and is a more technical job. This year, we celebrate women in this job.
The encouragement for women to thrive in high-pressure and technical roles grows. This has been portrayed by Lavina Happy Aunda, who is the official photographer for Nairobi United FC, which is number 9 in the league table.
She is a role model for other women in the league as she thrives in her role as a photographer.
Healing the football game
The presence of female medical professionals in the pitch is no longer an improvement but a standard requirement.
Professionals like Seline Nekesa, who is the physiotherapist and team doctor for Sofapaka FC, are examples of this new era.
They are not just fast responders on the pitch but also clinical experts who manage the physical health of the teams.
They are also tasked with balancing high-performance output and long-term physical health of the players.
These women are dismantling the notion that men are just small women, a long-term myth in sports science.
SportPesa League is seeing more and more women who are dual certified in counseling, fitness coaching, and emergency care.
Teams like Kakamega Home Boys and Sofapaka are the benefits of the holistic player-first approach by these experts in sports science.
Women as decision makers
Tabitha Njoroge, a former FIFA assistant referee and 2020-2021 FKF assistant referee of the year.
Njoroge has become a high Match commissioner and referee Assessor. Her experience in major tournaments, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup, shows her global standards and as part of women in Kenyan football.
Another woman shaping the league is Evelyn Awour, who was recently appointed as a CAF match commissioner.
Awour has risen through the ranks of Kenyan officiating to become one of the continent’s trusted referees.
Her presence in very high stakes matches like the Bandari vs. Mara Sugar clash in March 2026 portrays her status as the guardian of the game.
The creators of the matchday experience
Women like Doreen Nabwire, who are stadium managers and facility supervisors, have redefined the rules.
When many view the high stakes of stadium standards, they usually see a world dominated by men.
But women facility managers of ultra-modern stadiums like Dandora Stadium are the quiet engineers of the league.
They are not only facility managers but also logistic experts, security strategists, and turf specialists.
Managing the pitch at fields like Nyayo Stadium is a science and requires more skills. These women oversee the irrigation, soil aeration, and grass health to ensure the surface meets standards. These ensure that the pitch is safe and meets international standards for speed and player safety. They are also part of match day experience as they design the entry and exit protocols for thousands of fans attending SportPesa matches. The focus on inclusive security ensures that women and kids feel safe attending matches.
Conclusion
SportPesa league’s celebration of International Women’s Day 2026 will be remembered. It serves as a reminder that the heart of Kenyan football extends far from the final whistle. Through embracing the Give to Gain philosophy.
The league has moved away from symbolic gestures to highlight the technical brilliance of women.
These stories prove that when women are given the platform to lead, they are very capable. Whether it is in stadiums, boardrooms, or medical bays, they can fit in any environment within the football ecosystem.
Through the #MakeItCount campaign, SportPesa has ensured that the legacy of International Women’s Day 2026 is not just a one-day tribute. But a permanent standard for the evolution of sports in Kenya.
