Tusker FC will face KCB FC at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the first Semi-final fixture of 2026 with kickoff scheduled for 1300 Hrs.
With a winner mandatory before the match ends today, the Brewers look to navigate a tough challenge under the leadership of Frenchman Julien Mette, while the Bankers aim to break their historic lack of finishing edge and secure safe passage to the final under the guidance of veteran tactician Robert Matano.
Tusker FC arrives at Nyayo National Stadium with a fresh perspective under Julien Mette. The Brewers have shown immense grit in the tournament, securing their place in the final four after navigating a difficult away fixture to eliminate Ulinzi Stars at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in the quarterfinals.
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Having narrowly missed out on the title in recent years,including a painful 1-0 defeat to eventual winners Kakamega Homeboyz in the 2023 final,the five-time champions are chasing their sixth cup title in history and are eager to maintain their momentum today to keep their trophy ambitions alive and return to the continental stage.
KCB FC on the other hand are fueled by an extraordinary defensive record, entering this clash knowing the FKF Cup remains their ultimate path to silverware and historic continental football for the first time.
After a flawless run through the earlier rounds,including a 1-0 win over defending champions Nairobi United in the quarterfinals,the Bankers are yet to concede a single goal in the tournament.
They will be looking to make amends for their 2024 final heartbreak where they lost to Kenya Police in post-match penalties.
Team News
Tusker FC
The Brewers will be without center-back Francis Oduor, who remains sidelined with an injury. However, Julien Mette’s options have been significantly boosted by the timely return of speedy winger Stephen Etyang’ and versatile attacking midfielder Dennis Oalo, both of whom have been welcomed back into the squad.
KCB FC
The Bankers have received a major long-term boost as defender Gideon Were has returned to full training after undergoing surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process for an ACL injury, though this fixture might come too soon for his match fitness.
More immediate relief comes in the form of Dennis Maruti, who is back to full fitness and in line for a return after recovering from an injury sustained against AFC Leopards in March.
What was said before the clash?
Julien Mette (Tusker FC Head Coach): “The approach is very simple: you live or you die. So the mindset is we have to qualify to go to the final and I believe that if we go to the final we win the cup. But the semi-final is a step very important and maybe more difficult than the final.”
Robert Matano (KCB FC Head Coach): “We have to win the Cup now. We are now looking at the final. The league is still there; it could already be gone, but we want to finish well in a respectable position as a team. For us, our focus is on the final. We want to get there and win the cup.”
Head-to-Head and Form
This is the third competitive meeting between the two sides this season, with their league encounters proving to be tightly contested.
KCB secured a 2-0 victory in the opening match of the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League season, before Tusker exacted revenge with a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture.
The overall head-to-head record over their last five matches is perfectly balanced, with Tusker claiming 2 wins, KCB managing 2 wins, and 1 fixture ending in a draw.
The winner of this clash will advance to the final to face either Kenya Police or Bandari FC, who will battle it out in the second semifinal of today’s double-header at 1545 Hrs.