The annual Football Kenya Federation Pre-Season Elite Training (PET) for top-flight referees is underway after kicking off on Monday, September 1, 2025, bringing together match officials from the FKF Premier League.

The opening day featured intensive fitness exercises, designed to ensure referees meet the physical demands of the modern game.

On day two, the programme transitioned into integrated sessions with players, replicating real match situations to sharpen decision-making under pressure. These integrated sessions will run for three consecutive days in Nairobi.

Training areas

The referees are being taken through key game management areas, including:

Penalty area incidents

Positioning and movements

Free-kick situations

Next phase of play

Quick transition scenarios

Offside calls

In addition, the referees will undergo video analysis sessions after each integrated training to review performance and enhance learning.

The integrated sessions were introduced to provide real-life practical experiences, bridging the gap between theory and in-game situations.

A total of 58 referees are participating in this year’s pre-season PET, under the guidance of an experienced panel of instructors. The training is being led by Lead Technical Instructor Sylvester Kirwa, with support from Assistant Technical Instructor Everlyne Awuori, Monitors Davies Omwenwa and Hesbon Mbogo, and Fitness Instructors Richard Obare and Tabitha Njoroge.

The referees’ programme will run until Friday, September 5, 2025. Afterwards, match commissioners will undergo their own capacity-building classes from September 5 to September 7, 2025, focusing on the assessment and management of matches.

The PET remains a cornerstone in the Federation’s efforts to raise officiating standards, ensuring referees are better equipped to handle the intensity and demands of the FKF Premier League season.

Meanwhile, Kenyan perennial rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are among the teams that have learnt of their opening-day Football Kenyan Federation opponents following the partial release of the upcoming 2025/26 league fixtures.

According to the match schedule revealed by FKF on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Gor Mahia will open their quest to recapture the league title at home against Bidco United on Sunday, September 21, 2025.

Meanwhile, the reigning defending champions, Kenya Police, have not been included in the opening rounds of fixtures.

Etienne Ndajiragije’s team are Kenya’s representative in the CAF Champions League games alongside Nairobi United, who won the FKF Cup to secure participation in the CAF Confederations Cup games for the 2025/26 season.