The new season of Kenya’s National Super League (NSL) is set to begin, but not all teams will be on the field. 

A legal dispute from a past season has led the Sports Disputes Tribunal to temporarily stop two promoted teams, Soy United and Compel FC, from joining the league. 

The issue started when a team was accused of using a player with a fake identity, which resulted in them losing a promotion spot. 

This ongoing situation highlights a bigger problem in Kenyan football, where off-field court cases and poor decisions continue to cause chaos and uncertainty for teams and players.

The entire problem began last season during a match between Gucha Stars and Nakuru Bucks. 

Gucha Stars was accused of using a player who was not properly registered. 

An investigation by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) found that a player had used a fake identity. 

As a result, Gucha was penalized, losing points and their top spot in the league. 

This allowed Soy United and Compel FC to be promoted instead.

Gucha Stars took their case to the Sports Disputes Tribunal and the High Court, arguing the punishment was unfair. 

The High Court agreed and ordered the original match to be replayed. 

When the FKF did not follow this order, the SDT had to step in again, putting a hold on the NSL and blocking the two promoted teams from starting their season. 

The tribunal has also started legal action against several FKF officials for not following its orders.

The legal wrangling has serious consequences for the clubs and players involved. 

Soy United and Compel FC, who had been celebrating their promotion, are now in a state of uncertainty. 

Soy United had just hired a new coach, Jeffers Odongo, and both teams have players who are now unsure about their future. 

This kind of dispute hurts the teams financially and emotionally, and it can cause players to leave.

This isn’t a new problem for Kenyan football. 

The sport has a history of being disrupted by legal cases, which affects everything from league schedules to sponsor confidence. 

The current situation at the NSL is just the latest example of how poor management and legal fights can overshadow the game itself.

The SDT is set to make a final decision on September 19, just one day before the league is scheduled to begin. 

This ruling will determine the fate of Soy United and Compel FC and could potentially lead to a replay of the Gucha Stars match. 

While the current decision allows the rest of the league to move forward, it leaves the competition with only 18 teams instead of the usual 20, changing the dynamic of the season.

This situation serves as a powerful reminder that while the NSL is kicking off, the true fight is off the field. 

The final decision will not only affect which teams play in the league but could also set a precedent for how football governance issues are handled in Kenya moving forward. 

For the sake of the sport and its players, a clear and fair resolution is desperately needed.