President Ruto’s Event at State House Postponed Indefinitely
The highly anticipated official launch of the Kenya United Cup—commonly referred to as the President’s Cup—a major grassroots football tournament backed by President William Ruto, has been postponed at the last minute. The event, originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at State House in Nairobi, was called off following consultations with key stakeholders.
The decision came after discussions involving the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) leadership, including FKF President Hussein Mohammed, alongside executives from the National Executive Committee (NEC) and representatives from all 48 grassroots football branches nationwide. No specific reason for the postponement was publicly detailed beyond the need for further stakeholder engagement. A new date has not yet been announced, leaving the launch on hold until a later, unspecified time.
FKF President Hussein Mohammed addressed the development positively, emphasizing continued commitment to the initiative’s goals. “As much as the highly anticipated Kenya United Cup launch that was scheduled for today has been postponed to a later date, we agreed to tirelessly work as a team in growing and developing our football from ward level with a focus on youth and women's football,” he stated. He reiterated the shared dedication to grassroots development.
The Kenya United Cup is designed as a bottom-up national competition aimed at discovering and nurturing local talent, particularly among youth and women, while fostering unity through sport. It begins at the ward level, advances through sub-county and county stages, and concludes with a national final. Teams can register up to 23 players each. The tournament is a key part of the government’s sports agenda, supported by partnerships with relevant ministries and aligned with broader plans such as building 22 modern stadiums, establishing 30 football academies, and preparing for co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Its budget has been set at approximately KSh 620.6 million, down from an earlier proposed KSh 2 billion. Despite the delay, stakeholders remain focused on advancing football from the grassroots upward.
