KPL: Sofapaka vs Murang’a SEAL venue changed amid stadia unavailability crisis
By Joel Masibo, February 12, 2026The Football Kenya Federation Premier League fixture between Sofapaka and Murang’a SEAL, originally scheduled for Sunday, February 15, 2026 at Kasarani Annex has been moved to Vapor Grounds in Ngong on the same day, starting at 3:00 pm local time.
Basically, the fixture has been moved from Kasarani Annex to Vapor after Sports Kenya closed both Kasarani Stadium and its two annexes to pave the way for renovations in readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations ( 2027 AFCON).
In a circular dated February 6, 2026, Sports Kenya Director General Timothy Kilimo has notified all sports federations that the facility will undergo further improvements to align with Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards, forcing KPL clubs to seek for alternative venues for league matches.
According to the statement, the contractor is scheduled to commence works this month, February 2026, to complete the outstanding scope of the project in readiness for the continental showpiece.
Kasarani closed
“This is to notify you of the closure of the main stadium and its annexes at MISC, and to request that upcoming events be moved to alternative venues,” read part of the communication addressed to all federations.
Kasarani has been a key venue for major sporting activities in the country, including football matches, athletics competitions and other national events. Its temporary shutdown is expected to prompt federations and clubs to seek alternative grounds as the country pushes to ensure its infrastructure meets CAF’s requirements ahead of AFCON 2027.
A copy of the letter was sent to the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, as well as the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports, Elijah Mwangi, both based at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi.
Joint AFCON hosting
Kenya is jointly preparing to host the 2027 AFCON alongside its East African neighbours (Tanzania and Uganda), making the upgrade of key facilities such as Kasarani a critical component of the country’s hosting commitments.
Apart from Kasarani, Nayyo National Stadium is also poised to be closed after staging the HSBC SVNS 2 tournament on the weekend of Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15, 2026. The two stadiums, alongside the under-construction Talanata Stadium, are earmarked to stage the 2027 AFCON matches in Nairobi.