World Rugby shattered Kenya Lionesses’ dream of a historic qualification to the World Rugby Sevens Series. The game’s governing body also snatched, surely, Kenya Shujaa’s certain path to the elite World Series the same year.
It was another case of so close yet so far for Kenya Simbas in their failed attempt to qualify for a maiden World Cup.
Locally, on the double, Kabras Sugar upheld their Kenya Cup dominance, stretching their unbeaten run to a remarkable three seasons.
Community clubs continued to struggle with finances as Mwamba got relegated from the top-flight league while Daystar University Falcons earned promotion to the Kenya Cup for the first time.
After one year of boardroom wrangles, Sasha Mutai, who had served as Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman for two years, resigned, paving the way for the first female rugby boss, Harriet Okach.
Kenya Simbas players celebrate their 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifier victory against Uganda in Kampala on July 8, 2025.
Photo credit: Daily Monitor
The Kenya Lionesses won the 2025 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series to qualify for the promotion play-off in Los Angeles, where they also reigned supreme.
The victory should have handed Kenya a place in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens series for the first time, but World Rugby abruptly changed the format before the Challenge Series’ last leg in Los Angeles.
The Lionesses silenced South Africa on their way to winning the Challenge Series first leg in Cape Town.
The Lionesses finished third in the final leg in Krakow, Poland, to top the Series with 58 points, followed by South Africa on 54, Argentina on 48, and Colombia on 40.
Kenya's Freshia Oduor scores a try against South Africa during their women's Cup Semifinal match at the 2025 HSBC Sevens Challenger - Cape Town 1 at Athlone Sports Stadium on March 2, 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Photo credit: Pool | World Rugby
The four teams qualified for the promotion play-off in Los Angeles. Lionesses thumped Lady Blitzboks 17-14 in quarter-finals.
On the other hand, Kenya Shujaa saved the best for last to reach their first Cup final in ages in the world series at the Singapore Sevens, losing 21-12 to Fiji.
They reached the semi-finals, a feat that would have seen them retain their place in the 2025/2026 World Series.
Kenya’s dream to have two teams in the World Series for the first time went up in smoke after World Rugby changed the World Sevens Series format on the eve of the Los Angeles Sevens in May this year. They split the World Rugby Series into three divisions -- I, II and III.
Kenya Simbas centre Bryson Adaka is tackled by Zimbabwean players during the 2025 Africa Rugby Cup semi-final match at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala on July 13, 2025. Ismael Kigongo | Daily Monitor
Photo credit: Ismael Kigongo | Daily Monitor
Kenya Sevens and Kenya Lionesses remained in Division II where the country will host the first leg, the Nairobi Sevens, on January 14-15 next year.
The Lionesses, under new coach Simon Odongo, claimed swift revenge against Uganda Lady Cranes 14-10 to reclaim the Safari Sevens title they last won in 2021. The Lionesses lost to the Ugandans 15-13 during the 2023 final and to Costa Blanca from UK 24-10 in the 2024 final.
Kenya Lionesses’ quest to claim their maiden victory against South Africa’s Lady Blitzboks in the Africa Women’s Sevens Cup failed after they lost 22-0 in the final. It was Lady Blitzboks 12th Cup victory.
Kenya Sevens gunned down Shogun from the United Kingdom 14-7 for their 12th Safari Sevens title on October 12 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Freshia Odour (centre) of Kenya attempts to charge past Simamkele Namba and Patience Mokone of South Africa in the finals of Africa Women’s Sevens Cup at RFUEA ground in Nairobi on November 16, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Mutai resigned during a Special General Meeting convened following a motion of confidence that had been brought against him by 13 clubs to answer cases of mismanagement on May 30. It followed protracted wrangles with fellow directors at the KRU Board.
On June 5, the board surprisingly settled on Okach, a committee member and director of commercial, as the new KRU chairperson.
This was seen as a move to cool off the acrimony on the board and lure sponsors with vice chairman Moses Ndale and secretary general Ray Olendo taking a back seat.
Kenya Simbas were genuine contenders for qualification to the Rugby World Cup. But it is Zimbabwe Sables who snatched the single automatic ticket to the World Cup. They will be returning after a 36-year hiatus.
Zimbabwe laboured to eliminate Kenya 29-23 in the semi-final before flooring fancied Namibia 30-28 in the final at Nelson Mandela Stadium, Uganda, on June 19.
Freshia Odour (centre), of Kenya Lionesses, is marked by South Africa Lady Springbok players Simamkele Namba and Patience Mokone during their Africa Women’s 7s Rugby Cup on Sunday at RFUEA ground.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Kabras Sugar sealed their fifth Kenya Cup victory after beating Menengai Oilers 27-26 in a pulsating final, a victory that saw them go for a third season unbeaten under South African coach Carlos Katywa on April 12.
Daystar University Falcons were crowned champions of the second-tier league, KRU Championship, after downing Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology 39-12 in the final. Both teams have qualified for the Kenya Cup, as Mwamba and Catholic University Monks got relegated.
Kabras Sugar would dismantle Menengai Oilers 33-12 to seal their fifth successive Enterprise Cup at Nakuru Showground.
It was the first time since 2016 that KCB failed to reach the final of both the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup.
