After months of legal battles and delays, Mombasa United and Kariobangi Sharks finally face off this afternoon in the first leg of their FKF Premier League/National Super League playoff at Mbaraki Sports Club.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe match is scheduled to kick off at 2pm, bringing the two sides together in a fixture that has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute over the rules governing promotion and relegation in Kenyan football.##NAJAVA_MECA_9995888##The playoff is a product of mediation between the two clubs following a series of court cases that contributed to the delay of the start of the new FKF Premier League season.At the heart of the dispute is the applicability of the 2025 FKF rules, which provide for the automatic relegation of three teams from the top flight.Under those rules, Kariobangi Sharks, who finished 16th in the Kenyan Premier League last season, would have been relegated automatically.Duarte questions CAF draw ahead of Guinea, Kenya clashSharks, however, challenged the application of the 2025 rules, maintaining that they were not properly enacted. The club argued that it had been informed that the 2019 rules would apply, under which the team finishing 16th in the Kenyan Premier League would face the third-placed team from the National Super League in a two-legged playoff to determine who plays in the top flight.The prolonged dispute spilled into the courts, with the start of the new Kenyan Premier League season subsequently delayed as the legal proceedings continued.The eventual mediation between the two clubs paved the way for the playoff to proceed, with both sides agreeing to settle the matter on the pitch.Harambee Stars drop in provisional FIFA ranking following disappointing draw with EritreaAnother key issue addressed during the mediation was Mombasa United's squad.The coastal side had released a significant number of players from the squad that featured in the National Super League last season, leaving them with concerns over whether they could raise a team using only the players registered during the previous campaign.Sharks agreed to allow Mombasa United to field their newly registered players, clearing another obstacle that could have prevented the playoff from going ahead.With the legal dispute temporarily put aside, attention now shifts to the pitch as Mombasa United look to take advantage into the second leg, while Sharks aim to preserve their top-flight status.Millions Kenyan-born Winfred Yavi is set to earn after historic Asian Games golden hat-trickOn the pitch, Mombasa United will field a largely newly assembled squad featuring players with previous Kenyan Premier League experience, as well as several recruits from outside Kenya.Among the new faces at the coastal side are striker Rashid Moyo from Equity FC, goalkeeper Mustapha Oduor, who previously turned out for Murang’a Seal, and former KCB FC winger Rodgers Oporia. The club has also added Nigerian goalkeeper Chigozie Akabuike and Somali midfielder Abdillahi Baanuu to strengthen the squad.On the technical bench, Mombasa United will be guided by Somali-American tactician Abdulhamid Moallin, who joined the club after parting ways with Tanzanian giants Yanga.Former FIFA referee in as officials for promotion/relegation playoff first leg are revealedKariobangi Sharks, meanwhile, will be led from the dugout by the league’s longest-serving coach, William Muluya. The Sharks have undergone significant changes to their playing unit, losing several key players, including last season’s Young Player of the Season Humphrey Aroko, who moved to Sweden, captain Kevin Otiala and goalkeeper Sebastian Wekesa, who joined AFC Leopards.They have, however, brought in several new faces, among them David Polepole from Tusker FC, who has been in impressive form during the build-up to the playoff.The second leg is scheduled for Nairobi on 7 October, with the two-legged tie set to determine which side will compete in the Kenyan Premier League this season.Shikanda urges Kenya to tap U23 talent for Harambee Stars
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