Safaricom’s Chapa Dimba grassroots football competition will hold Eastern Region county finals on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 across eight counties, with winners set to receive KES 75,000 each and advance to the inter-county playoffs, according to a statement issued on September 18.
The matches will be staged in Isiolo, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kitui, Makueni and Marsabit. Organisers said more than 60 teams will compete for county titles and progression to the inter-county playoffs, which feed into regional finals.
The organisers said county winners in both boys’ and girls’ categories will each take home KES 75,000, while runners-up will receive KES 30,000, in addition to “other individual awards”.
Chapa Dimba is one of the private-sector backed youth sports programmes in Kenya that blends community participation with structured competition and prize funding. For Safaricom, a Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed telecommunications company, the tournament also forms part of its wider public-facing initiatives, alongside its consumer and enterprise business lines, including M-PESA, according to the company’s backgrounder included in the release.
“After a successful regional tournament in Nyanza, we are excited to take Chapa Dimba to the Eastern Region for the county finals. More than 60 teams from across the eight counties will battle it out for county honours. Everything is in place, and we look forward to witnessing great talent and exciting matches over the weekend,” Oliver Kiptoo, FKF National Coordinator, said in the statement.
Several fixtures have been scheduled across the counties. In Isiolo, MAFA Academy will play Towfiq FC in the boys’ category at Kiwanjani Grounds, before Garbatulla Queens face Bridge Starlets in the girls’ category at the same venue.
Kitui will stage matches involving 16 teams. In the girls’ category, the statement listed fixtures including Kitui FC Ladies vs Kavalyani Starlets, United Starlets vs ISAA Queens, Mwitaka Starlets vs Nguni Sirens, and Young Starlets vs defending champions Syomunyu Queens at St. Charles Lwanga School. In the boys’ bracket, RMJS will face SMPI Academy, hosts St. Charles Lwanga will play Musengo Senior School, Kiongwe Juniors will face Mwingi Juniors, and Wendea FC will take on Nyanyaa Bullets.
In Machakos, the organisers said Matuu Homeboys will meet Masii Boys Senior School, while Golden Football Academy will face Koma United in the boys’ category. In the girls’ category, Kyumbi All-Stars Queens will play Kibauni Ladies and MCF will face Kisooni Queens, with matches to be held at Machakos Showground and Public Works Field.
Other listed fixtures include City Vultures Academy vs Mikinduri Stars FC and Igane Juniors vs CCM Giantune Boys in Meru, as well as Akuune Queens vs Mwariama Queens and CCM Giantune vs Timberyard Queens in the girls’ category. In Embu, Black Cats Football Academy will play Mufuu JSS, while Ishiara Brights Academy will face Pwani FC at Numbure Grounds; the girls’ fixtures include Ishiara Bright Starlets vs AIC Ndune Queens and Royal Queens Academy vs Kavutiri Lionesses.
Marsabit matches will be played at Marsabit Stadium, with Red Tigers scheduled to face Abdary FC and Turbi FC set to play DG Stingers FC. In Makueni, the boys’ category will feature Mbuthani Secondary School, Mukuyuni School and Kalawa Pride Juniors at Sultan Hamud Stadium, while AIC Sultan Queens will face Kiambani Queens in the girls’ category. In Tharaka Nithi, matches will be played at Kajiunduthi and Kairuni stadiums, the statement said.
Organisers said the Eastern Region finals will be held in Embu on Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, 2026, bringing together qualifying teams from the county phase to compete for regional honours and further progression.
Photo Gallery
