The FKF Premier League promotion and relegation playoff is set to proceed after Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United reached an agreement following mediation efforts involving football stakeholders.
The breakthrough ends weeks of uncertainty surrounding the fixture and clears the way for the two clubs to settle their fate on the pitch.
As part of the agreement, both teams will be allowed to field newly registered players during the playoff matches, removing one of the contentious issues that had threatened to derail the contest.
The playoff will be played over two legs, with the first match scheduled for Mombasa on October 1, followed by the return fixture in Nairobi on October 6.
The winner of the tie will earn a place in next season’s FKF Premier League, while the losing side will compete in the second tier.
For Kariobangi Sharks, the playoff represents a final opportunity to preserve their top-flight status after finishing in the relegation zone at the end of the season.
Mombasa United, meanwhile, are seeking promotion to the highest level of Kenyan football after their strong National Super League campaign.
Mombasa United’s Rise
Mombasa United’s appearance in the playoff caps a rapid rise for a club that has undergone significant restructuring in recent years.
The team’s roots lie in a football project that began in 2020 before taking shape competitively as Mombasa Elite in 2021.
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In 2024, the project was later restructured and adopted the Mombasa United identity, aiming to build a club strongly associated with the city and the wider Coast region.
Under the Mombasa United name, the club initially competed in the National Super League (NSL).
Its first season, 2024/25, was difficult, and the team finished 16th, narrowly avoiding relegation.
The following campaign brought a major turnaround.
Mombasa United emerged as one of the leading teams in the 2025/26 NSL season, spending more than 150 days at the top of the table during the promotion race.
The club eventually finished third with 76 points, behind champions Migori Youth on 81 and runners-up 3K FC on 77.
The promotion marked the biggest achievement in the club’s short history and secured Mombasa United’s place in the 2026/27 FKF Premier League.
It also made the club the second Mombasa-based team in the top flight alongside Bandari FC.
The club has been led by president Abdulrahman Hussein, popularly known as Anzafresh, with Nick Arunga serving as chief executive officer and Yasin Ahmed as sporting director.
Kariobangi Sharks’ Second Chance
For Kariobangi Sharks, the playoff is also a chance to rescue a club that was once among the fastest-rising forces in Kenyan football.
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Founded in 2000 as a community football project in Nairobi’s Kariobangi estate, the club climbed steadily through the lower divisions before earning promotion to the Kenyan Premier League in 2016.
Sharks quickly established themselves in the top flight, finishing third in their debut Premier League season in 2017 and emerging as serious challengers against traditional giants such as Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Tusker.
The peak years came between 2018 and 2019.
Sharks won the FKF Shield Cup in 2018, lifted the Kenyan Super Cup later the same year, and captured the SportPesa Cup in Tanzania in 2019.
The SportPesa Cup victory earned them a glamour match against English Premier League side Everton at Kasarani, where the Kenyan club stunned many observers by forcing a draw and eventually winning the post-match penalty shootout.
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