The National Super League (NSL) is heading towards its second month without competitive action, with repeated delays to the start of the 2026/2027 campaign disrupting preparations and raising concerns among clubs, players, and technical benches.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe second tier of Kenyan football was initially expected to kick off in August, about two weeks after the start of the FKF Premier League.However, that timeline passed without a ball being kicked, forcing clubs to continue training as they waited for a new date.##NAJAVA_MECA_10062757##The league was subsequently scheduled to begin on the weekend of Sunday, 25 October, but fresh legal hurdles emerged just 24 hours before kick-off.Darajani Gogo, who competed in the 2025/2026 season, obtained orders from the Machakos High Court stopping the league from starting.The court also directed that the Kibera-based club be included in the NSL fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign and urged the club and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to seek an amicable settlement.TACTICAL ANALYSIS: How 3K FC claimed Mlima Derby bragging rights against Murang'a SealThe case challenging Darajani Gogo’s omission from the fixtures is scheduled for mention on Tuesday, 17 November.Insiders have suggested that the league could be pushed back further, potentially starting on Wednesday, 18 November, although that date remains unconfirmed.The situation mirrors the disruption witnessed in the top tier, where court cases delayed the FKF Premier League’s start for more than a month before stakeholders resolved it through discussions.##NAJAVA_MECA_10066136##Mozzart Sport spoke to people directly involved in the day-to-day running of NSL clubs to understand how the continued delay is affecting the league’s wider ecosystem.Kisumu All Stars team manager Rashid Ochieng says clubs and players are bearing the brunt of the uncertainty, with prolonged preparations disrupting team plans and putting pressure on already stretched resources.“The preparation of clubs and teams is hurting most because each team is preparing and we have a time frame to follow,” Ochieng said. Kenya U15 survive Chad scare to qualify unbeaten for FIFA World Cup elite tier AThe administrator explained that the extended pre-season has left players without competitive football for months, which has raised concerns about their motivation and fitness when the league eventually gets underway.“Pre-season has now gone on for almost three months. Even players are now bored, and when we start the league, we are going to have fatigue,” he said.Harambee Stars attacker explains why he snubbed Gor Mahia for Nairobi UnitedOchieng added that keeping players and other team personnel together for an extended period without matches has also increased the financial burden on clubs.“Again, for the clubs, when there is no money, and you are hosting people for three months, it becomes a problem. It is always good that once we are done with pre-season, the league should be getting underway,” he explained.The delay has also affected relationships between clubs and their sponsors, with Ochieng noting that the lack of competitive action has complicated access to financial support.##NAJAVA_MECA_10066136##“At the moment, without the league starting, even our sponsors cannot give out money. This is demoralising the players. Even for us on the technical bench, talking to the players about their welfare now becomes a problem.”The long-serving football administrator, who has experienced the highs and lows of the game with Otenga, warned that the eventual return to action could bring another set of challenges, particularly if the fixture schedule becomes congested.With the calendar already disrupted, clubs could be forced to play matches in quick succession, leaving little time for recovery and preparation, while frequent travel across the country could further strain their budgets.Kenya U15 survive Chad scare to qualify unbeaten for FIFA World Cup elite tier A“Again, it is going to bring a problem. When the league finally kicks off, we are going to have games back-to-back, which I think will interfere with the programs of the majority of teams,” he said.“You will have to travel across the whole country in a short period. You could have two away games and then a home game, so if you are not financially stable, you cannot manage it.”He also questioned whether clubs had assembled squads deep enough to cope with a potentially demanding schedule, and noted that many teams had registered about 25 players.STARS ABROAD: Ogam on target in Belgium as Ochieng, Anyembe feature“Then, if you did not sign properly, because most teams have signed about 25 players, that number, with back-to-back games, will be a problem when the league starts,” he added.
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