The High Court has dealt a significant blow to the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) plans for the 2026/27 season after issuing conservatory orders barring it from implementing its revised 2025 rules and regulations pending the hearing and determination of a petition challenging the changes.
In the orders seen by The Eastleigh Voice, the court restrained FKF, its National Executive Committee (NEC), Leagues and Competitions Committee, and all affiliated officials from relying on the FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Football (Revised 2025) in administering competitions, making decisions on promotion and relegation, or constituting competitions for the 2026/27 season.
A key aspect of the ruling concerns the contentious issue of promotion and relegation. The court specifically barred FKF from commencing the 2026/27 FKF Premier League season based on automatic relegation of the clubs finishing 16th, 17th and 18th in the 2025/26 campaign.
Instead, the court emphasised that FKF must first conduct the mandatory end‑of‑season promotion and relegation playoffs as provided for under Rules 2.9.1, 2.9.2 and 2.9.3 of the 2019 FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football.
The orders further prohibit FKF from undertaking consequential activities linked to the disputed regulations, including player registration, fixture scheduling, club licensing, and announcements regarding league composition for the upcoming season.
Additionally, the court restrained the federation from taking any action that would give effect to the NEC resolution of 19 September 2025, or render the ongoing petition meaningless before it is fully heard and determined.
In another major directive, the High Court barred FKF from operating through its current Disciplinary Committee and Appeals Committee, citing allegations that the bodies were not elected and ratified by the FKF General Assembly as required under Article 64(4) of the FKF Constitution (2017).
The conservatory orders will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of both the application and the substantive petition, setting the stage for a legal battle that could have far‑reaching implications for the structure of Kenyan football competitions and the composition of the FKF Premier League in the 2026/27 season.
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