The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has unveiled sweeping proposals to restructure the country’s football pyramid in a bid to improve competitiveness, boost commercial appeal, and establish a clearer pathway for promotion and relegation.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsAt the heart of the proposals is a plan to reduce the number of teams in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) from 18 to 16 beginning with the 2026/27 season, a move the federation says is designed to prioritize quality over quantity.“We are trying to have a league that is commercially viable, a league that will be qualitative and competitive,” said FKF’s League and Competitions Committee Chair Peter Kamau.##NAJAVA_MECA_8994265##“We are not getting sponsors mainly because we are looking at quantity over quality.”The proposals are currently undergoing public participation, after which they will be ratified by the federation.Under the reforms, the second-tier National Super League (NSL) will be divided into two 12-team zones starting next season, with each zonal winner earning automatic promotion to the KPL.Three teams from each zone will be relegated at the end of the season.Gor Mahia coach wary of Nairobi United ahead of Sunday’s Mozzart Bet Cup showdownHowever, not all stakeholders are on board. Fortune Sacco coach Sylvester Odero voiced concerns that dividing the NSL might create regional imbalances and dilute the league’s competitiveness.“Dividing the NSL into zones could make one division stronger than the other. For example, Nairobi and the Central regions might dominate over the Western region. I think both KPL and NSL should remain as they are,” warned Odero.“Focus should instead be placed on nurturing young talent in the lower leagues through age-specific competitions.”On the other hand, former Harambee Stars coach Twahir Muhidin backed the reforms, saying a 16-team top-flight league would ease the financial burden on struggling clubs.Scottish club provide transfer update on Richard Odada after loan move“The 2009 format was more manageable. Adding two more teams has financially strained many clubs, especially in a league where sponsorship is scarce,” said Muhidin.Further changes include expanding the FKF Conference League from two zones to four regional blocks—Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern—with each conference winner gaining promotion to the NSL.##NAJAVA_MECA_8993179##Division Two will be split into nine regional zones, while the fifth tier will feature county leagues, each capped at 64 teams spread across zones of no more than 16 teams.FKF says the proposed structure, still under public review, is intended to build a more competitive, transparent, and sustainable football ecosystem in Kenya.
