HSBC promotion playoff at stake for Kenya Lionesses in decisive Sunday encounters
By Luke Oluoch, March 29, 2026The Kenya Lionesses are angling for two decisive clashes in the HSBC Division Two series this Sunday, March 29, 2026, with a berth in the promotion play-off to the top tier at stake.
This comes after their dramatic comeback in the Sao Paulo leg of the Challenger Series on Saturday, March 28, 2026, which moved them to a prime position to seal a championship berth.
The Lionesses now face two must-win fixtures to secure their spot. They will first face China in a potential promotion playoff decider at 6:06 pm.
The Deciding Matches: Sunday, March 29, 2026
- vs. China: (6:06 PM EAT) — This is a direct battle for the 4th qualification slot.
- vs. Brazil: (10:02 PM EAT) — The final pool match against the hosts.
The tie is a direct battle for the 4th qualification, with the team just 6 points behind 4th-placed China, heading to Sunday’s ties.
Kenya will then face hosts Brazil in the final pool match at 10:00 pm.
São Paulo performance
Kenya had entered the São Paulo leg at the bottom of the standings, 6th place with 22 points. The Lionesses needed a near-perfect run to break into the overall top four. They delivered a standout performance on Day 1 on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
They started their HSBC SVNS2 campaign with a narrow 12–19 defeat to Argentina. marking a second consecutive time the girls failed to crack the code against the South Americans who top the series leaderboard.
A game decided by small moments, with Kenya showing flashes of fight, pace, and resilience but ultimately falling just short in a tight opener.
Top of table
Needing a turnaround, the Lionesses rode on tries from Janet Okello and Freshia Oduor to defeat neighbours and rivals South Africa 14–5 in a statement win. The winning momentum extended to match three with a 24–17 win over Spain in a high-stakes encounter where Janet Okello scored a brace.
The Lionesses ended the day top of the table for the Sao Paulo leg, having leapfrogged Spain and South Africa in the round-robin standings.
With the current standings, the task remains far from done but close, backed by the gained momentum from the success in São Paulo.
To officially qualify for the promotion play-offs, the Lionesses must storm the top four of the overall series standings with wins in the two games now as crucial for their quest.