2026 is the year that Kenyan football officially shifts from a period of recovery to the preparation phase, with a very busy football calendar in the country.
The next twelve months will serve as a definitive litmus test for the country’s infrastructure, technical capacity and organizational readiness.
Here’s why I think the next twelve months will be crucial in shaping Kenyan football.
Preparations for East Africa’s Pamoja Africa Cup of Nations 2027
Kenya must study the 2025 AFCON in Morocco because the North African nation has successfully elevated AFCON from a mere football tournament to a masterclass in national branding and planning.
Kenya struggled with security breaches and ticketing chaos during the recent CHAN 2024. Morocco has set a standard by integrating high-speed rail, digital-only ticketing, and smart stadiums.
Learning from Morocco will mean shifting the focus from simply finishing the Talanta Sports City Stadium and other stadia to mastering the invisible logistics which include crowd control, seamless transport corridors between cities, and the maintenance of world-class hybrid pitches.
For the Pamoja Afcon 2027 to succeed, Kenya needs to adopt Morocco’s approach of treating infrastructure as a long-term public asset rather than a temporary event expense, ensuring that the 2027 tournament leaves behind a professionalized sports economy rather than underutilized white elephants.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations
2026 represents a transformative juncture for the Harambee Starlets as they return to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco for the first time in a decade, carrying the distinction of being Kenya’s most viable low-hanging fruit.
While the country has never won a match in its only previous appearance in 2016, the 2026 tournament offers an opportunity to leverage the momentum built by the Junior Starlets’ qualification at the 2024 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
WAFCON 2026 serves as the primary qualifying pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil as a semi-final finish would make the Starlets the first Kenyan senior side of any gender to reach the world stage.
For this to be achieved, FKF, in collaboration with the government, will now need to prepare the girls adequately and extensively for the tournament.
ALSO READ: Harambee Starlets seal historic return to WAFCON after beating Gambia
Completion of the Talanta Sports City
Early 2026 is the scheduled completion of the Talanta Sports City, one of the flagship venues for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Unlike Kasarani or Nyayo, the 60,000-seater will be Kenya’s first football-only stadium designed without an athletics track.
Throughout 2026, the stadium will undergo rigorous test events, which include high-profile friendly matches essential for training local staff on VAR technology, modern ticketing systems, and crowd control before the AFCON 2027 starts.
Beyond its physical structure, the completion of the stadium to be renamed the Raila Odinga International Stadium represents a shift from the traditional sports economy.
It is envisioned as a multi-purpose commercial asset capable of hosting high-traffic events year-round, ensuring that the facility remains a self-sustaining revenue generator rather than a white elephant once the 2027 tournament concludes.
The facility is expected to house a shopping mall and a hotel among other things once complete.
FKF second full year in office
2026 marks the second year in office for the FKF administration led by President Hussein Mohammed and Vice President McDonald Mariga who were elected in December 2024.
This will be a very crucial period for them in administration, as it marks the transition from the honeymoon phase to the delivery phase.
The administration campaigned under the “Team Fresh Start” banner, promising a complete break from the past.
In 2026, the public and stakeholders are moving beyond the promises of 2025 and expecting to see the results.
After securing the landmark SportPesa League partnership valued at KES 1.12 billion, 2026 is the year the Federation must demonstrate that this money is actually trickling down to the clubs to improve player welfare and matchday experiences.
ALSO READ: Gaming giants SportPesa pump over 1 billion in 10-year deal with Football Kenya Federation
The administration has spent its first year reconstituting committees. 2026 is the test of whether these new bodies can effectively tackle long-standing issues like match-fixing and refereeing standards, especially after the resumption of FIFA funding after clearance in December 2025.
There will also be implementation of changes in the league structure and regulations. For the first time, the FKF National Super League will see the top three teams earn automatic promotion to the SportPesa League, with the bottom three teams in the SportPesa League relegated directly to the NSL.
While the current 2025/26 season is operating with 18 teams, the federation has signaled a move toward a 16-team top-flight format starting in the 2026/27 season, with the proposal now in the public participation phase.
Ultimately, 2026 is the year Kenyan football must bridge the gap between historic potential and professional execution, starting with preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
If Kenya navigates 2026 with the precision and ambition expected in its planning, the 2027 AFCON will be more than just a tournament; it will be a celebration of a nation that has finally found its footing in the global game of football.
