Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga set stage for Chapa Dimba County Finals

Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga counties will open the fifth edition of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba County Finals Campaign this weekend.

The action will begin with the county playoffs on Saturday, where teams will battle for a place in the finals.

The playoffs will determine the two boys’ and two girls’ finalist teams in each county, who will then compete in the county finals on Sunday, 2nd August.

“As the competition progresses through the county, regional, and national stages, our goal this season is to identify as much talent as possible for both the local and international stage.

“Through our network of scouts and Safaricom’s GPS vest technology, we will be able to assess players more effectively using real-time performance data, helping us identify and develop the country’s most promising young footballers,” said FKF President Hussein Mohammed.

The Busia County Finals will be held at Malaba Primary School, while Bungoma’s matches will take place at Bungoma High School.

In Vihiga, the action heads to Chavakali Boys’ High School, where defending county and Western regional champions Ebwali Boys will begin the defence of their title against Box Fourteen Hotstars in Saturday’s semifinal.

Last season’s county champions, Ebwali Boys (Vihiga), Brenda Girls (Bungoma) and Chakol Girls (Busia), will all be seeking to retain their county titles and secure qualification for the Western Regional Finals, scheduled for later this month at Mumias Sports Complex in Kakamega.

Ebwali Boys and Brenda Girls are also the reigning Western Regional champions from the fourth edition of the tournament.

“This season, registrations have grown to more than 3,100 teams nationwide, highlighting the immense talent at the grassroots. I encourage football fans across the country to come out, support the teams, and experience the excitement of Chapa Dimba,” added Hussein Mohammed.

In the girls’ category, Brenda Girls will be aiming to retain their county title when they face Makuselwe Queens and St. Augustine Girls Lukhuna in the Pool A playoffs.

Similarly, Busia County champions Chakol Girls will begin the defence of their title against Lwanya Girls and Nambale Hotstarlets FC in the Pool A county playoffs.

The county finals will continue in Kakamega on the weekend of August 8 and 9. Last season’s county champions, Lugari Progressive, have already secured their place in the county finals after winning the Kakamega South Sub-County title.

The team recently emerged as the 2026 Western Region champions at the Kenya Secondary Schools Games and will represent the region at the National Secondary Schools Games at M-PESA Academy in Thika.

They were also runners-up at the fourth edition of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Western Regional Finals, underlining their strong form heading into this year’s competition.

The winning teams in each county will receive Ksh 75,000, while the runners-up will take home Ksh 30,000. The Best Goalkeeper and Top Scorer (boys and girls) will each receive Ksh 10,000.

The Most Valuable Player (Golden Ball) will receive Ksh 10,000 and a fully funded tertiary education scholarship under the Safaricom Citizens of the Future Programme. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation and a monthly upkeep stipend, enabling beneficiaries to pursue courses of their choice at public tertiary institutions across the country.

County champions will advance to the Western Regional Finals, which will be held later this month at Mumias Sports Complex.

The Western Region tournament kicked off in June at the ward level and attracted 521 teams, comprising 340 boys’ teams and 181 girls’ teams across the four counties. This represents a significant increase from the previous season.

Kakamega registered the highest number of teams with 214, followed by Bungoma (160), Busia (79) and Vihiga (68).

Outstanding players will also form an All-Stars team that will represent Kenya at the Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world's largest youth football tournament, where they will compete against top international talent and gain exposure to scouts, academies and professional clubs from around the world.

Since its launch in 2017, Safaricom Chapa Dimba has grown into one of Kenya's most successful grassroots football development programmes, producing players who now feature in local leagues, national teams and international clubs.

Beyond football, the tournament continues to create pathways to education, personal development and professional careers. The competition targets boys and girls aged 15 to 18 years, providing them with opportunities to identify, nurture, showcase and develop their talent.