- After weeks of waiting and plenty of back-and-forth, the 2026/27 SportPesa League season finally kicks off on Saturday, October 10.
- The new season opens with a double header as Shabana FC travel to face Posta Rangers at Wang’uru Stadium from 4:15pm.
- The curtain-raiser sees Mathare United host APS Bomet at Police Sacco from 2pm.
Posta Rangers will be seeking to kick off their campaign on a high note as they take on Shabana FC at the Wang’uru Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the opening round of the 2026/27 SportPesa League season.
The clash marks a very important encounter following an action-packed transfer window for both sides. P
osta Rangers Head Coach Zedekiah Otieno “Zico” starts his full season with Posta after joining towards the end of last season, while Egyptian tactician Ahmed Fathy makes history by becoming the first-ever foreign coach to take charge of Shabana FC.
Although Shabana won the corresponding away fixture 2-0 last season, Posta arrive intent on taking full advantage of the home ground to secure a strong start.
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Posta Rangers vs Shabana kick-off time and venue
The match will take place at the Wang’uru Stadium in Kirinyaga Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 16:15 EAT on Saturday, October 10.The match will be broadcast live on Azam Sports 3 HD.
Posta Rangers vs Shabana team news
The hosts were among the teams that released the least number of players in the off-season window, letting go of just five players while bringing in 12 new additions.
Bixente Lizarazu traded jerseys this window and could face his former employers on Gameweek 1.
Among the notable new signings is Teddy Osok, who has been cleared after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a doping ban, alongside loanee Mark Shaban from Gor Mahia.
The visitors went for a massive overhaul, releasing 16 players and signing 15 new ones.
Notable departures include Ugandan winger Bronson Nsubugo (who joined Kenya Police FC) and last season’s Golden Glove winner, Stephen Otieno.
The club will be banking on Congolese goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila signed from Tusker, highly-rated Sudanese defender Daniel Bichiok, experienced striker Derrick Otanga, and exciting talent Louise Ingavi, who returns after a stint in the US.
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What the coaches said before the game
Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno (Posta Rangers Head Coach):
“We have waited a long time for this league to start. Shabana is a good team, they have had a good pre-season. Don’t also forget that they performed well in the 2025/26 season. With the first match nobody knows his team fully well, but it’s going to be a balanced match and we are ready to counter them.”
Ahmed Fathy (Shabana FC ):
“We have come with full preparation to look for the three points. Because of the delay, players who joined us late have now settled. There is no easy game in the league; we have to respect our opponents because we need to start well.”
Head to Head
Across their 6 previous meetings, Posta Rangers have claimed 3 wins to Shabana’s 2, alongside 1 draw, with Shabana holding a slight 9–8 advantage in total goals scored.
Their encounters include the 2023/24 season where Posta Rangers won 3-1 before Shabana responded with a 3–0 victory, followed by a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 Posta win during the 2024/25 campaign, and finally the 2025/26 season meetings which saw Shabana pick up a 2-1 loss home loss before answering back with a 2-0 victory on the road.
Betting tips
Posta Rangers have won three of the six meetings, but Shabana have scored more goals overall (9 to 8).
Even more interesting: every single one of the six meetings has produced at least three goals except the 1-1 draw meaning 5 of the 6 H2Hs have produced 3+ goals.
A win for either side could see them go top of the log depending on the results of the Mathare United vs APS Bomet clash which will serve as the first match of the season at Police Sacco Grounds.
